


Maybe, Probably, Definitely Not

by SugoiKawaiiDesuNe



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alani finally has a proper debut in 6 lol, Angst, Anxceit - Freeform, Boys Kissing, Bread puns, Complicated Relationships, DUCKS!, Drinking, Drinking Games, Duck Feeding, Fluff, Gloria the dog, Janus is a stay at home dad, Kinda, Long Distance Relationships, M/M, Male OC - Freeform, OC Alani, Original Character - Freeform, Patton is a CNA, Pizza, Prinxiety - Freeform, Roman and Remus's last name is Kingsley, Swearing, Sweeney Todd References, Trans Remus, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, Virgil Centric, Virgil's a dogwalker, also familial, because duh this is my story, because i like it lol, brotherly Pat and Jan being brothers, but it's a thing, chapter 5 is a fluffy filler, daughter - Freeform, demus - Freeform, drinkopoly, dukeceit, fyi Patton's a good friend he's just going through stuff rn, i'll add tags as i go, idk it's so late/early, idk where this is going tbh, it has a dog, it's cute idk, it's kinda an abroad thing so he's not home much, janus hart, like virgil has one but it doesn't go into detail much at all, logan is a high school english teacher, lots of platonic relationships - Freeform, mention of a cow at one point, not mentioned yet - Freeform, not sure if he will ever actually show up, or - Freeform, patton and janus are brothers, patton hart - Freeform, platonic best friend date, probably more relationships in the future, probably some pizza discourse coming soon lol, receit, remus is a manual laborer and he loves his job, roman has a theatre work-study type job, she might show up again sometime, slightly more detailed tags in the notes, slightly sexual comments/actions via Remus, soft pecks, tbd, that's in here, to be specific, trashnoodle - Freeform, vague mentions of panic attacks, virgil's last name is o'mara, whatever you want to call j's and re's relationship, will be mentioned more in future chapters, writing this instead of sleeping before my math final
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25511434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugoiKawaiiDesuNe/pseuds/SugoiKawaiiDesuNe
Summary: Virgil is happy with his life. He's got good friends, an amazing boyfriend, and an adorable child he often gets to pamper. But sometimes, he wonders if this is where he is supposed to be in life. What if he had done things differently? Would he be happier? Would he hate it? Would he be asking the same questions?It turns out that the past can be just as uncertain as the future. What could have been will never be known. Now Virgil has to stop living in the past and decide what he wants moving forward.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders
Comments: 11
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

Virgil sat on the couch, mindlessly watching _Despicable Me 2_. His eyes never left the screen, though his attention was on the little girl cuddled into his side. His fingers had found their way into her hair early into the movie, and unbeknownst to Virgil, she had fallen asleep to his ministrations.

“V.”

Virgil hummed softly at the whisper, finally tearing his eyes from the screen to look at the man beside him.

Janus was already looking at him, and he nodded toward the child sleeping between them.

Virgil’s eyes fell to the little girl, her eyes closed and cheeks pink. He felt an involuntary smile tug at his lips.

“I’m going to lay her down,” Janus whispered.

Virgil’s smile turned a tad bittersweet, but he nodded and watched as Janus carefully scooped the child into his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

As the door shut behind them, Virgil turned his gaze back to the movie, trying to ignore his thoughts. Janus emerged a few minutes later, a soft smile on his face as he took his place beside Virgil again.

“Sorry about that,” he said.

Virgil offered him a smile and shook his head. “It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

Janus sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She hasn’t been sleeping well lately.”

Virgil nodded. “I know. Neither have you.”

Janus gave a soft, bitter chuckle. “I suppose not.”

Virgil watched him for a moment, biting the inside of his cheek. His tongue burned with unspoken words, but he swallowed them down. “Are we still on for this weekend?” he asked instead.

Janus’s wry smile grew into something more genuine. “Of course. Remus will be off Saturday, and Alani was invited to a birthday sleepover and won’t be home until Sunday.”

“Tiana’s?”

“Yeah. She’s turning eight.”

“They’re growing up so fast.”

Janus laughed and nodded, sighing wistfully. “They are, aren’t they?”

Virgil smiled at him and reached over, patting Janus’s shoulder. “You’re getting old,” he said.

Janus snorted and shoved his arm off. “Yeah, thanks for the reminder.”

Virgil laughed and pushed himself off the couch, stretching his arms above his head until his spine cracked. “Anytime,” he said.

Janus rolled his eyes before peering up at him with a look Virgil couldn’t quite decipher. “You’re leaving?” he asked.

Virgil sighed as he shoved his hands into his hoodie’s pockets. “Yeah, I promised Patton I’d go grocery shopping with him when he got off work.”

“Ah, well, I’ll walk you out then.”

Virgil offered a grateful smile as Janus stood, and they walked outside to Virgil’s car in silence.

Janus quickened his pace at the last second to open the car door, and Virgil thanked him as he slid into his seat and started the car.

“It was nice seeing you, Virgil.”

Virgil swallowed another cluster of sentences he had no business speaking aloud. He smiled. “You too, J. I’ll see you Saturday. Tell Alani I said bye.”

Janus nodded. “I will. And I look forward to Saturday. Drive safe.”

“I will,” Virgil said. He waited for Janus to gently close the door before offering his signature two-fingered salute as a final goodbye.

Janus gave him a lazy wave in return and watched as Virgil pulled out of the driveway.

Virgil sighed as he left the house behind, Janus’s reflection slowly disappearing in his rearview mirror. His chest hurt, but he opted to ignore it as he picked his phone up and carefully maneuvered to Patton’s contact information.

The phone only rang twice before Patton’s voice filtered through the car’s speakers.

“Hey, Virge, I just got off. Are you still down to join me?”

“Yeah, Pat, I’m on my way. I just left Janus’s.”

“Aww, how’s Alani?”

Virgil smiled at his best friend’s excited cooing. “She was sleeping when I left.”

“Oh good, poor girl hasn’t slept through a night in weeks.”

“I know… School’s starting in a few weeks too. I hope she can get back to a normal schedule before then.”

“I don’t know what they’ll do if she can’t.”

Virgil sighed as he turned into the parking lot of his and Patton’s apartment complex. “Well, I’m here. How far are you?”

“I’ll be there in three minutes,” Patton said cheerfully. “Do you need anything to eat before we go? There’s still some leftovers in the fridge if you want it.”

Virgil shrugged even though he knew Patton couldn’t see him. “I’m good. I’ll see you when you get here.”

“Alright. See you soon, kiddo!”

“See ya.” Virgil leaned back into his seat as Patton ended the call. Unlocking his phone, he saw three unread messages.  
  


  


**Logan:** What time are we meeting Saturday? 

Virgil quickly typed his reply, “Pat and I are going over at 6. Do you need a ride?”

  


**Janus:** Can’t wait for Saturday! 

Virgil smiled and sent back a thumbs-up emoji, along with two exclamation points and a yellow heart.

  


**Roman:** I can’t wait to see you Saturday, babe. I love you! 

Virgil felt something in his chest constrict, but a smile still tugged at his lips. He typed back a, “Me too, I love you,” and added a couple of red hearts before looking up to find Patton pulling into the spot next to him.

He locked his phone and slid it into his pocket as he turned off his car and climbed out. Patton rolled down the window and grinned at him as he approached.

“Ready, Virge?”

Virgil grinned as he slid into the passenger seat. “Does it matter? You’re just going to kidnap me anyway.”

Patton chuckled but didn’t deny it as he pulled out of the lot. “Do you know if Remus is working this weekend?”

“He’s off Saturday,” he said, fiddling with the zipper on his hoodie. “And Alani will be at a sleepover.”

“Tiana’s?”

“Yeah, it’s her birthday.”

“Aw, that’s sweet! I’m so glad they’re friends.”

Virgil smiled. “Yeah, Alani needs more friends.”

“She really does!” Patton said. “Maybe second grade will bring new friends.”

“I hope so. She’s such a sweet girl, I don’t know why she only has one friend,” Virgil grumbled.

Patton shrugged, a bittersweet smile on his lips. “Kids will be kids,” he said.

“Yeah, I guess… She deserves friends though.”

“Oh, for sure,” Patton agreed. “Janus really needs the break, too.”

“Yeah,” Virgil mumbled. He sighed. “Oh yeah, Logan wants some more of that coffee you got him before. He gave me some money for it.”

“I can spend a few extra bucks on coffee,” Patton said with a fond eye-roll.

Virgil shrugged. “I tried to tell him that, but he insisted.”

“That’s so Lo,” Patton laughed. “He’s coming this weekend, right?”

“Yep, everyone will be there.”

Patton let out a loud squeal of excitement. “Oh, I can’t wait! It’s been so long since we all got to hang out together!”

Virgil smiled at his friend’s near palpable energy. “I know. I can’t wait.”

His stomach flipped at the thought of the six of them being under one roof again. He couldn’t quite tell if it was excitement or fear. He shook the thought from his head and decided to focus on Patton’s excited rambling.

Saturday would be fun. The six of them, all together again? How could that go wrong?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: It's 3:30 am, and I've been working on this for roughly 6 hours so mistakes were probably made, I apologize, I hope you enjoy anyway
> 
> particular warnings for this chapter include:   
> sexual comments/actions (nothing too major, just Remus being Remus) ; drinking ; mentions of smoking and partying ; mentions of absentee fathers lol ; mention of gender dysphoria (super brief/vague) ; ftm pregnancy mention ; vomit mentions (not in detail) ; food/eating 
> 
> If I missed anything, please let me know

Virgil hurried around Patton to open the door before the other boy could make the attempt, Patton’s arms laden with pizza boxes that obscured his vision and, in fact, most of his head. Virgil had tried to help, but Patton insisted he could carry the load for himself.

Virgil swung the door open and stepped aside as Patton clumsily ambled through the opening, his hand hovering above his friend’s shoulder lest any of the boxes begin to slide.

“Did you invite the whole town?” Janus drawled from somewhere inside.

Patton laughed and followed the sound until Janus’s hands appeared around the corners of the boxes, relieving him of the top half so that Patton could see once more.

“Everyone likes different things,” he tried to justify.

Janus rolled his eyes even as he turned toward the kitchen’s entrance, Patton following close behind. “Compromises could have been made. You went overboard, as always.”

Patton shrugged as they sat the boxes onto the table. “I like to spoil my kiddos,” he said with a grin.

Janus raised a brow at him. “I, for one, am not your ‘kiddo.’"

Patton laughed. “No, you’re my brother,” he said, sliding in for a hug before Janus could even think of running away.

Janus stiffened momentarily but quickly melted into the embrace, wrapping his own arms around Patton’s shoulders with a gentle squeeze. “You should come around more,” he said softly.

Patton sighed as he pulled away with a shrug. “Work’s been hectic,” he said. “I’ll be over more often when things calm down again. We just had two other people quit this week.”

“How long did they last this time?”

“One was only there for three days.”

Janus shook his head. “It takes a special person to become a CNA,” he said.

Patton’s face split into a beaming grin. “Aww, you think I’m special!”

Janus just barely dodged the bear hug Patton aimed toward him, sidestepping at the very last second. He dusted imaginary dirt from his shoulder as he turned back toward the living room. “Whatever, I’m sure Virgil is feeling lonely right now.”

Virgil looked up as they entered the room, having heard only the last bit of their conversation. “Oh yes, so lonely,” he drawled, “I was just about to try to make friends with that dust bunny over in the corner.”

Janus scoffed as he sat on the couch. “Please,” he said, “you know there’s no dust, bunnies or otherwise, anywhere in this house.”

“Right, I forgot that you can hear the dust forming from across the room and have made it your personal mission to destroy them before their little dusty lives can even begin.”

Janus only rolled his eyes, but Patton’s quiet chuckle was enough to bring a self-satisfied smirk to Virgil’s lips.

“What are you sitting on the bookshelf for, kiddo?” Patton asked.

Virgil paused and peered down at the trinkets surrounding him as if just noticing his precarious place amongst them. “Hm, how did I get up here?” he mused.

Patton’s laughter wafted across the room, his hand coming up to partially hide the smile he wore. “Come on down, Virge, we don’t want you to get hurt.”

Virgil shrugged and braced himself on the shelf, preparing to launch himself up and away from his spot, when the door suddenly swept open with a flourish.

“Good evening, my beautiful friends!” Roman called as he twirled into the room, ending with a deep bow as his hand rested upon his heart. “The party can officially start, as I, your King, have arrived.”

Virgil snorted, momentarily forgetting his task of finding a normal seat in the room and offering an amused smirk as Roman spun to face him. “The party doesn’t start until everyone’s here, you tyrant.”

Roman scoffed, holding his chest as if he had been stabbed through with one of his many swords he loved to collect. “V, babe, must you wound me so?”

Virgil merely shrugged at him. “Someone has to bring you back down to earth before your big head flies you off into space.”

Roman made a series of what Virgil had affectionately deemed “offended Princey noises” before dropping the act with a blinding grin. He took two large strides to cross the room and invade Virgil’s space, slotting himself between Virgil’s thighs, his hands resting on his knees. “I’ve missed you, my darling,” he said, standing on his tiptoes and tilting his head up.

Virgil didn’t hesitate and leaned the rest of the way down to meet him with a soft, chaste kiss, his fingers instinctively carding through Roman’s hair. He pulled back just enough to speak, his breath still ghosting over Roman’s lips, “I’ve missed you too.”

“Ha, gay!”

Virgil rolled his eyes as Remus made his presence known, having entered through the back door in the kitchen. He peered around Roman to the other man, raising a brow at Remus’s signature grin and his position atop Janus’s lap.

“Yeah, Remus, I’ve been meaning to tell you. Roman and I, after four years of dating, have discovered that we are, in fact, hella gay.”

Remus barked out a laugh, the sound just loud enough to grate on Virgil’s nerves. “Well join the club,” he said with a wicked grin and a wink as he placed his hands on Janus’s shoulders and rolled his body into him. The overly dramatic moan on Remus’s lips had nothing on the way Janus’s eyes momentarily rolled back into his head, despite the embarrassed flush upon his cheeks and the disapproving frown tugging at his lips.

Virgil just shook his head, turning his attention back to Roman. “Help me down?”

Roman shot him another blinding grin and eagerly placed his hands upon Virgil’s hips. Virgil had just enough time to wrap his arms around Roman’s shoulders as he picked him up, twirling him away from the bookshelf before placing him gently upon the ground with another soft kiss.

Virgil’s heart sang, and he hummed in contentment, pulling Roman in for another kiss just as they parted from the first.

Roman went willingly, a soft chuckle reverberating in his chest as he gave his boyfriend a gentle squeeze.

“Am I interrupting?” Logan asked as he stepped through the front door.

Virgil immediately flushed from the insinuation, but he shot Logan an amused smirk anyway. “No, we were waiting on you,” he said with an overly flirtatious wink.

Roman threw his head back with a laugh just as loud as his brother’s but somehow much more endearing, in Virgil’s humble opinion.

Logan only chuckled, rolling his eyes as he made a beeline for the empty love seat across the room. “I am honored,” he said dryly.

Roman laughed as he took Virgil by the hand, leading him to the space next to Logan and twirling him once more before pulling him into his lap as he fell back into the cushions. “You should be,” he said, “we don’t let just anyone in on our makeout sessions.”

Logan hummed. “How generous of you.”

Patton giggled at their antics, clapping his hands excitedly and gaining each of their attention. “Oh, I’m so happy we all get to be together like this again!”

Virgil offered him a soft smile, his eyes inadvertently flickering to Janus’s. He felt his stomach drop when he found the man’s eyes already on him. He mentally shook himself out of the moment and turned back to Patton’s still beaming smile.

“Pizza time?” he asked.

Patton’s eyes grew even wider somehow, and he nodded excitedly, already spinning on his heel to bound into the kitchen.

Virgil chuckled at him and slowly unwrapped Roman’s arms from around his waist. “I should go help him,” he said.

“I’ll come with you,” Roman said, already moving to stand up, but Virgil gently pushed him back into the cushions with a kiss to the forehead and a hand to the chest.

“No, stay. Catch up. We’ll be right back.”

Roman offered him a dopey, grateful smile, his eyes glistening with so much love it made Virgil’s stomach flip.

He felt like he might throw up.

Pushing that thought away, he smiled back at his boyfriend and turned toward the kitchen, refusing to acknowledge Janus’s eyes on him as he went.

Virgil found Patton in the kitchen with all the pizza boxes open and six paper plates scattered about between them. He had somehow managed to have already distributed the slices onto the plates and immediately loaded three plates into Virgil’s arms.

“Buffalo chicken for you, veggie for Roman, and spinach and mushroom thin crust for Lo,” Patton sang, already turning to pick up the rest of the plates. “And pepperoni for J, Hawaiian for me, and supreme with extra jalapenos for Remus,” he finished to himself.

“You’re such a dad,” Virgil remarked with a smirk as he followed Patton out of the room.

Patton laughed and shrugged the best he could with three plates perched in his arms. “I am who I am,” he said.

“And we wouldn’t have you any other way,” Janus said with a grateful smile as Patton passed his plate to him.

Patton grinned at him and passed the other to Remus. “Aww, you’re so sweet,” he said.

“When he wants something,” Remus added with a suggestive eyebrow raise.

Janus rolled his eyes but leaned forward to give his boyfriend a quick kiss on the cheek.

Patton smiled at the action and took his seat at the other end of the couch, close enough to spend quality time with his brother, but far enough that Remus’s knees wouldn’t rub against his own whenever he spontaneously decided to grind against Janus’s hips again.

Virgil couldn’t help but frown at the action, knowing Patton’s logic behind it. This was an all too familiar occurrence, if you asked him. He shook the thought away, passing Roman and Logan their plates before seating himself on the floor between Roman’s legs.

Janus raised a brow at him from across the room. “You know there is another seat, right here?” he asked, reaching over to pat at the empty space between him and Patton.

Virgil mentally cursed him for bringing it to attention, but he only shrugged and nestled further into the space he had made for himself. “Floor’s not so bad,” he said, “I’ve missed Roman.”

He almost regretted his words as Janus’s expression closed off, just enough that Virgil would notice. Janus offered him a warm smile that felt far too cold. “Fair enough,” he said and went back to eating his pizza.

Remus swallowed a rather large bite of his pizza, the guttural sound loud enough for Virgil to hear. “Dude, I’m going to get so drunk tonight!” he declared with a grin.

“Don’t overdo it, kiddo,” Patton said. He was smiling, but his brow was creased with worry, no doubt remembering all the shenanigans Remus had gotten into whilst drunk before.

Virgil shivered at the memories.

“Yeah, you don’t want to go running after a cow again in the middle of the night, only to pass out in an empty pasture for fourteen hours with no explanation and the whole gang looking for you,” Roman said pointedly.

Remus scoffed. “Uh, yeah, that’s exactly what I want to do!”

Roman rolled his eyes, and Virgil knocked his head against his knee.

“Who says gang anymore?”

“You shut up,” Roman said.

Virgil only laughed at the response.

“How drunk does everyone plan on getting?” Logan asked, pushing his glasses further up his nose, carefully so as not to smudge them with the grease from the pizza.

“Wasted!” Remus shouted, his grin stretching further.

Janus pursed his lips but made no comment on his boyfriend’s antics. “Decently,” he answered.

“I don’t want to get so drunk I throw up,” Patton said shyly, “but I like the feeling of being buzzed.”

“Buzzes are the best,” Virgil agreed.

“Oh, we should play a game!” Roman shouted, his grin far to enthusiastic for the damage he had just done.

Virgil tilted his head back to raise a brow at him. “A game,” he repeated.

“Yeah! A game! Come on, guys, it’ll be fun!”

“What kind of game?” Patton asked.

Virgil internally groaned. You couldn’t just ask Roman questions about his spontaneous ideas, he would take it as a go-ahead.

“Ummm, oh! Drinkopoly!” Roman shot up off the couch, just barely missing Virgil’s head in the process, and sped off toward the closet at the end of the hall. “Rem, get the drinks! Janus, shot glasses!”

Remus brightened immediately, shoving the last chunk of pizza into his mouth and popping up onto his feet. “On it!” he said, the sound distorted around his still unchewed food as he ran into the kitchen to retrieve the drinks he had bought earlier that day for just such an occasion.

Janus took a moment to breathe out a long sigh of defeat before also standing and making his way into the kitchen to complete his assigned task.

Patton gave a nervous chuckle as he watched them all disperse. “Should I be worried?”

Virgil and Logan shared a look before they both answered with a simple, “probably.”

Patton sighed and picked at the remaining crust of his pizza. “That doesn’t make me feel better,” he mumbled to himself.

Virgil shot him a sympathetic look. It didn’t make him feel any better either.

The game ended far too soon, and yet, not soon enough.

Remus was a giggling mess in the corner of the bathroom, his head hung over the toilet just in case the urge to vomit hit him again. Patton, more drunk than he had ever intended but ever the loving friend, was clumsily trying to clean up the first mess Remus had left before he had made it to the bathroom. Roman had been trying to help Patton, but the smell had hit him hard, and he had promptly planted himself next to his brother where he had dry heaved a few times and fell into a deep, drunken slumber. Logan watched all of this with as much disdain as his drunken mind could conjure. In reality, he was nearly giddy with the pleasant buzzing in his brain, the world swaying gently around him each time he moved his head.

Janus clumsily stood to his feet, gathering the empty bottles and shot glasses strewn about the room. He threw a pitying glance toward Patton’s crouched form before looking over to Virgil.

“I’ll help him clean it up,” he said, words slurring together much like his drinks had earlier, one atop the other.

Virgil nodded as he carefully slid his arm around Logan’s waist, supporting the bulk of his friend’s weight as they stumbled toward the guest room. “Be right back,” Virgil mumbled as they went.

Janus watched him disappear before remembering the task at hand. He ambled into the kitchen at his own pace, only stumbling once, and carefully placed the shot glasses in the sink before unceremoniously dumping the empty bottles into the trashcan. He barely flinched at the loud clinking of the glass and instead made his way back to Patton’s side.

Virgil entered the room just a moment later, eyes wide as he looked around. “What was that noise?” he asked.

Janus carefully swatted at Patton’s hands until the younger boy gave up on trying to clean all together and left Janus to take over. He watched as Patton slowly crawled over to the couch, not bothering to try to stand.

“I dropped the bottles into the trashcan,” Janus explained, his eyes still on his brother.

Virgil nodded, eyes darting warily between the two of them. “You good?” he asked.

Janus’s eyes snapped toward him, seemingly caught off guard by the question. They stared in silence for a long, awkward moment before Janus seemed to realize he hadn’t answered. “Yeah,” he said quickly, ducking his head as he continued to clean up after his boyfriend.

Virgil frowned at the action but didn’t comment as he turned and headed toward the bathroom. He found Remus still hung over the toilet, echoes of giggles still on his lips but his eyes drooping from exhaustion. Roman had curled up into a ball around his brother, his arms wrapped loosely around Remus’s waist as he smushed his face against the other man’s legs. It did not look comfortable for either of them.

Sighing, Virgil resigned himself to his fate and began gently prying them apart. Roman immediately began whining, as he often did when this intoxicated. Virgil only rolled his eyes with a fond smile and continued to pull his boyfriend to his unsteady feet, knowing Roman was not even fully awake yet.

“Shh,” he whispered, planting a sweet kiss to the side of Roman’s head. The gesture earned him a soft sigh and the barest of smiles, only making Virgil’s heart swell within his chest. “Let’s get you to bed,” he said.

It took a few minutes, but eventually, Virgil was able to lead Roman to the guest room. He helped the man into the bed, careful as to not wake the now sleeping Logan next to him. Virgil gently tugged the blankets up over the both of them, smoothing Roman’s hair away from his face with a soft smile.

“Goodnight, Princey,” he whispered.

Roman mumbled back something that could have been an insulting nickname, but Virgil was inclined to believe it was a loving reciprocal of his own words.

Quietly, Virgil backed out of the room, sending one last glance toward his friend and boyfriend before closing the door with a soft click. Turning, he found Janus emerging from his own room just down the hall, a sigh heavy on his lips.

Raising a brow, Virgil stepped closer, gaining his friend’s attention. He frowned at the forced smile Janus sent his way. “You get him in bed?” he whispered, ignoring the action for now.

Janus nodded. “Had to pick him up. I thought he was going to vomit on my chest.”

Virgil chuckled, “That might be a good look on you.”

Janus rolled his eyes, but his smile became a little more genuine. “Are you going to sleep now?” he asked.

Virgil bit the inside of his cheek. Janus was giving him that look again, the one he couldn’t quite read. He shook his head with a shrug. “Not yet,” he said.

Janus raised a brow at him. “Not tired?”

Virgil snorted, “Not drunk enough.”

Janus chuckled at that and motioned for him to follow as he made his way toward the kitchen. Virgil did as instructed, and they stopped at the refrigerator, Janus peering inside before emerging with two beers.

Virgil instinctively scrunched his nose up at the bottle before Janus handed one to him with a knowing smile.

“That apple pie flavor you like so much,” he explained, “I know it’s the only one you drink.”

Virgil’s lips quirked into a grateful smile as he took the bottle, expertly shucking the cap off with the lip of the countertop.

Janus did the same, it only taking two more tries before the cap fell to the floor. He cursed under his breath as he bent to retrieve it, taking Virgil’s as well before tossing them both into the trash.

Virgil watched him with a warm smile, finding this side of his friend endearing. “You having a good time tonight?”

Janus smiled and took a swig of his beer before answering, “Not the worst. And you?”

“Not bad,” he said with a grin.

Janus’s grin stretched further before turning into something a bit more cynical. “Sorry about Remus. I should have kept a tighter leash on him,” he said with a wry laugh.

Virgil laughed along but shook his head. “He’s fine, I’m used to it. Besides, Roman was right there with him the whole night.”

Janus chuckled, nodding. “True. Are you sure you can handle both of them in the future?”

“Maybe we should make a rule that only one Kingsley can be drunk at a time.”

Janus outright laughed then, covering his mouth with the back of his hand, though it was too late. The sound filled the small kitchen, spilling out into the living room. Luckily, Patton didn’t stir from his sprawled-out position across the couch.

Janus took a deep breath and pulled his hand away, shaking his head at his own drunken antics. “I think I’m drunk,” he said.

Virgil laughed, drowning the sound behind the lip of his bottle as he took a sip. “No kidding,” he said, “You’re never this carefree.”

Janus’s eyes darkened at the comment, his smile going a little too stiff at the edges again. “It’s hard to be carefree when you feel like the only adult.”

Virgil’s laughter died on his lips, a sympathetic frown taking its place. “He’s that bad?” he asked, already knowing the answer he would receive.

A sigh fell from Janus’s lips, his free hand reaching up to card through his messy hair as he leaned back against the counter. “No,” he said. Another sigh. “Maybe. I don’t know… He’s great sometimes, you know? And we’ve been together for, forever.”

“Almost a decade, right?” Virgil said, voice much quieter than he meant it to be.

“Eight years, yeah,” Janus confirmed, staring blankly down at his drink. He took a sip. “I love him,” he said, though the words were thrown out as if they were more of an excuse than a declaration of love, “he can just be… immature, at times.”

“At times.”

He sighed, “Most times.”

Virgil frowned. “He’s been working a lot,” he noted.

Janus nodded, twirling the bottle between his fingers and watching its contents swish against the sides of the glass. “He doesn’t have to,” he said, tone just edging bitterly, “he makes plenty with his regular hours. He asks for the overtime.”

Virgil’s brows furrowed at this new information. “Why would he do that?”

Janus shrugged, feigning disinterest. “He gets bored,” he said, “and I get it. I wouldn’t change Remus for the world. If I did, he wouldn’t be Remus… But I do wish he would reconsider taking on so many hours.”

“That’s got to be hard on Alani, right?” Virgil asked.

Janus took another long gulp of his drink before setting it aside on the counter. He drummed his fingers against the surface, not meeting Virgil’s gaze. “She still draws Remus in every family portrait,” he said, “she puts us in order, every time. Me, her, Remus.”

Virgil took another sip as he watched his friend struggle with the words he wanted to say, visibly debating with himself within his mind.

“But she doesn’t ask where he is anymore,” he continued, “She doesn’t get excited when he comes home. She hugs him, tells him she loves him, that she misses her other daddy.” A bitter smile crossed his lips then, the sight tugging at Virgil’s heartstrings. He shook his head. “She can’t bond with someone who isn’t ever here.”

Virgil nodded, briefly thinking back to his own childhood, to the few memories he had of his own father. He shook the thoughts away, none of that mattered now, not here, not with Janus fearing that his own child would never feel the love of one of her fathers.

Virgil leaned against the counter, his shoulder just barely brushing against Janus’s as he crossed his arms, half-empty bottle dangling from his fingertips. He glanced at his friend from the corner of his eye, heartbroken to see the exhaustion and dread etched into Janus’s features. In the light of day, before an audience, Janus could hide it, could wear the mask he had spent years carving to perfection. Here, though, in the confines of his small kitchen, the dim, orange light casting shadows across the walls, next to a boy who he had been friends with for seven years, had known for far longer- Here, there was nowhere for Janus to hide. Every imperfection, every doubt, every fear was on display.

Virgil remembered a time when he wouldn’t have been caught dead in this house- in Janus’s house. They had grown up together in school, and for the majority of those years, Virgil had hated Janus. He had been cocky, arrogant, too eager to kiss up to anyone and everyone he could gain a favor from in the future. It had taken years for Virgil to realize it had all been an act, a performance of a lifetime- a façade born of self-preservation.

By then, Virgil had feared it was too late to build a friendship with the other boy. In fact, he had never tried. He simply stopped avoiding Janus’s presence, began hanging out with Patton, his longtime best friend, at his house after school and on weekends. Janus had been surprised to say the least when he came home one afternoon to find Virgil sitting on his couch like he was always meant to be there. He hadn’t mentioned it, only offered a stiff hello that, for once, was reciprocated with a genuine greeting and not a startled hiss.

Virgil cringed as the slew of memories of hissing at Janus crashed against his skull.

Janus had never brought up the odd habit, and Virgil was eternally grateful for that. He didn’t know how he could ever explain himself. They still hadn’t really spoken much, only a ‘hello’ here, a ‘how’s your day been’ there. But it was progress, and Virgil was thankful for the opportunity.

Then graduation came and with it, plans of college. Virgil and Patton had always planned on attending the same university and were lucky enough to do so. What Virgil hadn’t realized was that Janus would also be joining them. They even shared a few classes together, and Virgil was once again reminded of how much time he had wasted hating his new… friend? He wasn’t sure he could quite call Janus his friend yet, but he was beginning to think he wanted to.

Janus met Remus at a party he had no intention of attending. It was fate, he had said. He had stumbled into the wrong apartment, searching for his assigned partner for a midterm project. Remus had been in the center of the decently sized crowd that had gathered. He had always been the life of any party, and that night had been no exception. He had been dancing to the music, feeling its bass pulse through his veins, his heart mimicking its rhythm as he allowed his body to move freely as it pleased. He had caught Janus’s eye, his relaxed grin growing into something more wickedly promising. He had shot the other boy a wink, and Janus- Well he hadn’t called it love right away, but within two weeks, they had made plans to move in together.

Virgil had thought Janus was a decent human being by then. He still didn’t like how he lied so often and was so quick to compromise his own moral standings for the sake of getting on someone’s good side. Not to mention, Janus did have a reputation of making some bad decisions, relationship-wise. Virgil never judged him, but he did sometimes wonder if Janus truly had half the brain he appeared to have in class.

Janus didn’t completely change until Alani came along. Virgil knew plenty of people who had had a child right after high school, and he knew that so many of them had never truly grown out of their rebellious teenaged phases. They had only graduated eight years ago, but he could list several families that had been torn apart largely due to the irresponsibility of children pretending to be parents. Janus, though, was different. The change was immediate. When Remus first told Janus that he was pregnant, Janus had started making plans. Real-life plans. He had booked Remus’s first doctor’s appointment, driven him, stayed by his side, soothed his gender dysphoria the best he could. He had waited on him hand and foot for the entire pregnancy, losing sleep and brain cells just to keep his boyfriend and their future baby safe and happy. He had given up on school, dropping out at nineteen and taking on a fulltime job to help pay for their newest member of their tiny family.

Janus had given up heavy drinking, smoking, partying, and every other bad habit he could think of- other than the internalization of his own problems and hiding behind carefully constructed lies and redirection. Old habits die hard.

Janus had changed everything, for Remus, for Alani. Virgil had been close enough by that point to see much of the change firsthand, and it still blew his mind to this day. He looked at his friend, still staring dejectedly into nothingness.

Sighing, Virgil nudged him with his shoulder, seemingly startling the man out of his stupor as he jolted and looked up at him with slightly too-wide eyes. Virgil smirked but didn’t comment on it, only leaning further against Janus’s arm.

“You’re a good dad,” he said.

Janus’s expression immediately softened, a near giddy grin slowly pulling at his lips. He shook his head, reaching for his abandoned drink and trying to hide his smile behind it. “No,” he said, “but I try.”

Virgil shrugged, nudging him again and chuckling as he nearly made the man spill his drink down his face. “All the more reason you are.”

Janus took another small sip before looking back at Virgil with that particular look again. “Thanks, V,” he whispered.

Virgil smiled, uncrossing his arms to gently clink their bottles together. “Anytime,” he said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton's going through something, and Virgil's a good friend.

Virgil pulled another shirt from his closet, eyeing it carefully before putting it back and grabbing another. Patton giggled from behind him, sprawled across Virgil’s bed with his head hanging off the edge, eyes alight as they watched him.

“You sure are putting a lot of thought into this,” Patton chimed.

Virgil’s lips quirked into a grin even as he swapped the shirt out for yet another. “Well it’s an important night,” he said.

Patton’s giggles eased the tension between his shoulders, and he hummed in contentment as he deemed the shirt in his hands sufficient. He spun around, holding the shirt up against his body as Patton eyed him with a fond grin.

“Oh, I like that one,” he sang.

Virgil grinned and nodded, slipping the shirt off the hanger and over his shoulders. His fingers carefully worked at the buttons as he looked at himself in his dresser’s mirror. It was a rather simple shirt, a deep purple with small, intricate designs on the cuffs and collar. It was one of Virgil’s favorites, if not for the colour then the simple elegance of it. 

He finished the last button and ran a hand through his hair, meeting Patton’s gaze in the reflection. “Good?” he asked.

Patton nodded, shooting him a bright smile as he rolled off the bed and straightened his own shirt, carefully smoothing out any wrinkles still lingering. “You look great,” he said as he held his hand out, palm open and inviting.

Virgil rolled his eyes but did not attempt to hide his grin as he took Patton’s hand, allowing the other man to lead him out of the bedroom and down the hall to the front door.

Patton was halfway out the door before Virgil stopped, tugging lightly on his friend’s hand. “Keys?” he asked.

Patton reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys, jingling them in the air between them. 

“Phone?”

“In my pocket,” Patton said.

“Wallet?”

“But I have you.”

Virgil laughed and nodded, locking the door behind them as they made their way to Patton’s car. They climbed inside, Patton immediately turning the radio on once the car rumbled to life. Virgil smiled to himself as he clicked his seatbelt into place, settling back into the soft material of the seat. 

They did not speak as they made their way downtown, Patton singing along to the radio and Virgil humming the tunes to himself. He felt the buzzing of his phone and curiously pulled the device from his pocket, smiling as Roman’s name lit up on his screen.

He opened the message to find a picture of his boyfriend, hair a mess but smile as bright as always, a simple “I love you” scrawled across the corner in a gradient of reds and purples. 

Virgil’s smile grew into a painful grin, his heart swelling at the message. He quickly snapped a picture of his own, forcing his lips into his signature smirk rather than the lovestruck grin he now wore. He drew a little red heart next to his face and the words, “I love you too,” in purple and sent it with a fresh wave of butterflies within his chest. 

Roman’s response came only seconds later, a slew of heart-eyed emojis and colourful hearts. Virgil chuckled at the sight, but a new message came in before he could reply.

**Roman:** Damn V, where are you going looking like that?

Virgil snorted and typed back, “Date night.”

Patton glanced his way, and Virgil looked up, catching his eye as the other boy smiled knowingly. “Talking to Roman, Virge?”

“Maybe,” he said, not even trying to hide his joy, “how’d you know?”

“You went a little light on your foundation today, kiddo.”

Virgil felt his cheeks warm at the comment, flicking down the visor mirror to peer at himself. He had, in fact, gone a little lighter on his makeup than normal, and Patton was right. 

The pink tint to his cheeks was not too noticeable, but it was certainly there. He sighed as he popped the mirror back up, looking back to his phone as it buzzed in his hands once more.

**Roman:** Tell Pat I said hiii

 **Roman:** And you look hot as hell babe

 **Roman:** Have fun! I love you!

Virgil laughed softly at his boyfriend’s antics, typing back with a fond smile and pure adoration in his eyes.

Virgil was up and out of his seat before the car was in park, rushing around to Patton’s door before he could even think of touching the handle. Patton’s amused laugh filtered out into the world as Virgil opened the door with a grin, his hand extended for Patton to take.

“You don’t have to open the door for me, you know,” Patton said as he allowed his friend to pull him to his feet.

“Of course I do,” Virgil grinned, “I’m a gentleman, after all.”

Patton chuckled at his friend, shaking his head as he locked the car’s doors and led the way into the restaurant. 

The restaurant they had chosen was still fairly new, its doors open to the public for not even half a year yet. Unlike many others that had popped up in town and disappeared just as fast, Jivargo’s seemed to be doing rather well. The food was good, the staff friendly and professional, and it had quickly grown a reputation for its romantic atmosphere. Patton had been eyeing the place from the moment it opened, and Virgil had decided it was finally time for him to splurge on his friend.

Patton’s eyes lit up as they stepped through the doors, the soft glow of candleflame dancing in his hair. “It’s so pretty,” he whispered, awestruck by the minimalistic décor- roses and lilies on every table, lace-trimmed table runners, and the occasional piece of abstract art placed strategically about the room. Wrought iron candelabras lit the room in a hazy glow, and the hushed chattering of other patrons created a background of soft white-noise, comforting but easily overlooked. 

Virgil felt his heart swell with pride as Patton turned his bright smile onto him. 

“Virge, are you sure about this? It’s probably super expensive, and-“

“Hey, none of that,” Virgil said, placing a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder, “you deserve this, Pat. Besides, we have a reservation, and we’re already here.”

“But-“

“No buts, let’s go.”

Patton gave him a fond eyeroll as Virgil grasped his hand and led them to the front desk. 

“Do you have a reservation?” the hostess asked, her smile light and friendly and easily pulling Patton’s own to light.

“Yes, two for O’Mara,” Virgil replied, squeezing Patton’s hand as the woman’s fingers tapped against her keyboard. 

“It looks like they are preparing your table now,” she said, “it should just be a couple of minutes. You can have a seat if you would like.”

Virgil thanked the lady as he and Patton turned toward the leather couch seated just below the restaurant’s windows. Patton’s face lit up as he gasped in delight upon seeing the man already seated there.

“Janus!” he cried, closing the distance between them in two easy strides and flinging his arms around his very startled brother. “I didn’t expect to see you here!”

Janus’s eyes were comically round as he hesitantly patted his brother’s shoulders in a weak attempt of a hug, and Virgil could not help but snicker a bit at his reaction, even as his stomach flipped uncomfortably. 

“I did not expect to see the two of you either,” Janus said, finally regaining his composure as Patton sat back in his own seat, giving him space to breathe once more. 

“Date night,” Virgil supplied as he took the empty space beside Janus.

“Ah, of course,” Janus said, offering him a brief smile before turning back to Patton. “Excited to finally try out the place, Pat?”

Patton’s grin shone brightly as he bounced in his seat. “Yes! I’ve wanted to come here for so long, and now I get to! And with my best friend!”

Janus chuckled at his excitement. “I’m sure you will have a lovely evening.”

“What are you doing here, J?” Virgil asked, glancing around momentarily. “Is Remus here?”

Janus laughed, “Oh no, this is not his type of establishment. I’m actually here for an interview.”

“You’re going to work here?” Patton asked with stars in his eyes.

Janus smiled at him. “That is the goal.”

“Well of course they’re going to hire you! You were at the top of all your culinary classes!” 

“Yes, well, I’m sure my chances would be higher if I had actually finished my degree,” Janus said, eyes darkening a bit even as the smile on his face stayed firmly in place. 

“Have you thought about going back?” Virgil asked.

Janus pursed his lips. “I have, but we can’t afford that right now. Remus makes good money, it’s plenty for us to get by, but it’s not enough to put me through school for another two years.”

“Is that why you’re trying to get a job now?” Patton asked.

“That’s part of it,” Janus said, his demeanor shifting ever so slightly. It was a subtle change, the way his lips twitched downward, his eyes growing a bit darker, shoulders tensing slightly. “Remus and I have been talking, and we think it might be best for both of us to work. If I could find a stable job with a decent pay rate, Remus could cut his hours some and have more time with Alani.”

“Oh, that would be so good for them,” Patton smiled. “And it’d be awesome if you worked here! You’d be doing something you really love, and I would have an excuse to come around more!”

Janus laughed at that, his smile reaching his eyes once more. “Yes, exactly, this is all just an elaborate scheme for the benefit of your tastebuds, Patton.”

“And the detriment of my wallet?” Virgil added.

Janus shot him an easy smirk. “Well, that’s just a bonus.”

Virgil rolled his eyes, a witty retort forming on his tongue before he was cut off by the hostess’s voice calling his name. 

“Oh, that’s us!” Patton chirped, jumping to his feet with a blinding grin. “Good luck with your interview, Jan!”

Janus smiled fondly at his brother. “Thank you, enjoy your date. Be sure to order the most expensive thing on the menu.”

Virgil lightly punched Janus’s arm as he stood, smirking over his shoulder as he and Patton made their way to their table.

Janus watched them go, wearing a satisfied smirk of his own, though it soon fell once the two were out of sight. 

Virgil bit back another sigh as Patton’s cellphone flashed yet again from where it sat on the tabletop. To an outsider, it would appear that Patton had not noticed the constant messages he was receiving, but Virgil knew the boy was becoming increasingly anxious about them, even as his eyes refused to wander that way. 

“Oh, and these breadsticks are so delicious!” Patton exclaimed, eyes wide and entranced as he took another bite. “Mmm, if Janus works here, I’ve got to get him to bring me some of these every day.”

Virgil chuckled at his friend, absentmindedly stirring his fork into his pasta. “That’s a lot of breadsticks, Pat. You might die from breadstick overload.”

“Death by breadsticks?” Patton pondered, a sly grin forming on his lips. “How breadful.”

Virgil rolled his eyes and groaned, but he did not try to hide the smile on his face as Patton laughed to himself. 

The moment was interrupted when Patton’s phone lit up once again, his eyes darting to the screen before he could stop himself. Immediately, his face fell, eyes becoming worried as he finally picked his phone up to read the messages.

Virgil sighed, “Him again?”

Patton’s smile was weak, and it tugged at Virgil’s heartstrings. “Yeah, um, he wants me to come over, just to talk.”

Virgil bit the inside of his cheek. “You don’t have to,” he said quietly, “you don’t have to do anything. You can block him right now, Pat.”

Patton shifted awkwardly in his seat, still staring down at his phone. “You know I can’t just ignore people like that, kiddo,” he whispered, and Virgil knew where this was going.

“Maybe I should go,” Patton continued, “just hear him out? I mean, nothing’s going to happen or anything, he just wants to talk…”

Virgil bit his cheek again, much harder this time. “You already said what you needed to, and he didn’t listen to you. Why should you listen to him?”

Patton was quiet for a moment, his eyes taking on that glazed look that Virgil recognized as him trying not to cry. He looked up at Virgil with a sheepish shrug and the barest of smiles. “I love him… Besides, you’re right. I already told him how I felt, so the least I can do, is listen to his side of things. It won’t change anything though, I know we’re not going to work out.” 

Patton paused, turning back to his phone as he typed out a reply. “We’re through,” he said, and Virgil wondered how he could sound so sure when he was walking right back into the same trap he had been in for years. 

Virgil bit his tongue, hard enough to taste blood, but when Patton looked back at him, he still managed a reassuring smile. “Just be careful, Pat,” he said.

Patton smiled back at him and nodded, thankfully putting his phone away. “That doesn’t matter right now anyway,” he said, his grin coming back at full force, “I’m on a date with my best friend after all!”

Virgil grinned back at him, lifting his glass of water toward his friend. “I’ll drink to that.”

Giggling, Patton reached for his own glass, clinking the two together with a cheerful, “Cheers!”

Virgil chuckled at him and allowed the conversation to drift back to easy topics that kept Patton’s smile bright on his face, but his appetite was gone, and it was all he could do to finish his meal. He loved Patton more than anything and wanted to enjoy this night with him, but he could not help but dread what he knew was to come the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is this MyStErY gUy Patton speaks of?  
> Not a great dude, but he'll be discussed further in future chapters.  
> Also, platonic best friend dates? The absolute best, 10/10 would recommend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil worries, Patton smiles, a wild Logan appears- oh my

Virgil’s vision was still bleary as he reached across his bed to his phone, the skype ringtone grating at his ears. Still, he could not help but smile as he saw the picture on his screen, hastily answering the video call.

Roman’s grinning face lit up his screen, reaching through the groggy morning to touch Virgil’s heart. 

“Good morning, storm cloud,” Roman cooed.

Virgil fought back a giggle even as he felt his cheeks warm, his smile stretching further on his lips. 

“’Morning, Princey,” he mumbled, trying desperately to wake himself up.

Roman chuckled at his sleepy appearance, eyes alight with adoration. “Sorry to wake you.”

Virgil shook his head, “’S okay, need to be up anyway.”

“Oh yeah? Plans for the day?”

Virgil sighed, swiping his thumb across his phone screen to check his notifications. He frowned when he saw three unread messages next to Patton’s name.

“Patton went to visit Asher last night.”

Roman sighed, carding a hand through his hair and down his face. “Again? I really thought he was done this time.”

“He was doing so good,” Virgil agreed. “Three whole months without talking to him, and Pat was so happy.”

Roman pursed his lips. “Maybe nothing happened?” he suggested, but it sounded weak even to his own ears.

Virgil sighed and rolled over, snuggling further into his blankets so Roman could only see the top half of his face. 

“I miss you,” he said, effectively changing the subject and bringing a small smile back to his boyfriend’s face.

“I miss you too, love. I’ll be home soon.”

“It’s been so long,” Virgil pouted.

Roman laughed at that, the sound drawing a hidden smile from Virgil too. “It’s not even been a week, love.”

Virgil shrugged, the gesture visibly awkward from the blankets still bundled around his body. “Forever.”

Roman chuckled again, his eyes softening as he gazed at his boyfriend through a screen.

“I’ll be home soon, babe.”

Virgil sighed. “Do you know when?”

Roman shook his head, frowning slightly. “Maybe a month or so? We’re so busy with costume production right now. We’re really behind.”

Virgil bit his lip, glad that Roman could not see the frown tugging at his lips from behind the blanket, though he was sure his boyfriend could read the sadness in his eyes.

“You’re still having fun though, right?” he asked.

Roman offered him a gentle smile. “Yes, though I wish you could be by my side as well.”

“Me too,” Virgil whispered, feeling the pang of loneliness in his chest. He took a deep breath, attempting to exhale the negative thoughts and feelings before pulling the blankets away from his face and flashing Roman the biggest smile he could muster.

“I hope you have a great day, babe,” he said.

Roman grinned back at him. “Thank you, V, I hope you do as well. Take care of Pat for me, okay?”

Virgil nodded. “Always.”

“I’ll call you later.”

“Alright. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Roman smiled, and with a kiss to the camera and a quick wink, the call ended. 

Virgil continued to smile lovingly at his screen even after his boyfriend’s image had disappeared, until he finally grew the courage to open his messages from Patton.

**Patton:** Hey kiddo! I wanted to let you know that I made it to Ashers! Dont worry about me, Ill be home in a couple of hours!

**Patton:** V what do I do he explained that he felt like I was becoming too distant and now I feel bad. Did I mess this up? Can I fix it? 

**Patton:** Asher asked me to stay the night so I guess Ill see you tomorrow when I get home! 

Virgil sighed as he locked his phone, burying his head beneath the blankets again. It was much too early for this.

It was well past noon, and Virgil found himself curled up on the couch, phone clutched in his hand and eyes mindlessly glued to the television. He honestly could not have told anyone what the show was about, nor what it even was, as his mind had drifted off long ago. 

He had not heard from Patton all day, even after he had replied to his friend’s text after fully waking up. It was not like Patton to ignore his phone, especially when Virgil’s personalized ringtone would go off. It was one of the many things Virgil found comforting about Patton, he knew that no matter what, if Patton heard Virgil’s tone, he would drop everything and answer him. That trust had saved Virgil from numerous panic attacks in the past.

He did not seem to be faring well with this one.

Biting his cheek yet again – he could feel the scars there beginning to open up – Virgil checked his phone for the umpteenth time and sighed at the blatant lack of notifications.

Logically, Virgil knew Patton was probably okay, that he had probably slept in and was still adjusting to the waking world. Despite that, there was a very small but very loud part of Virgil’s mind that constantly reminded him that Patton was at Asher’s house, and though Asher had never physically harmed his friend, Virgil did not trust him at all. 

His stomach twisted painfully, and just when Virgil thought he might actually be sick with worry, the melodious sound of keys jingling outside his door caught his attention.

Virgil nearly cried in relief when he caught sight of Patton’s smiling face, but he quickly took a breath and managed to compose himself, hoping that his friend would not notice the panic he had been in just seconds before.

“Hey, kiddo,” Patton whispered as though the morning was still fragile and not already gone with the passing of time. “Sorry I’m late.”

Virgil shrugged, hoping to be the perfect picture of nonchalance. “You never told me a time,” he said with a slight quirk of his lips, “so no harm done.”

Patton almost looked more ashamed at the comment, but his smile still stayed in place. “How’d you sleep?”

Virgil pursed his lips. “Alright,” he said, “had a nice wakeup call this morning.”

Patton grinned at that, finally moving from the doorway to sit next to Virgil on the couch. “How’s Ro?”

“He’s good,” Virgil said with a sad smile, “won’t be home for a little while, but he’s keeping busy.”

“That’s good,” Patton said. “I know we just saw him a few days ago, but it feels like forever! I hate being apart from everyone.”

Virgil gave a light chuckle and nodded, “Yeah, it was nice when we all had more time on our hands.”

Patton hummed his agreement and leaned his head back into the cushions, eyes staring unseeingly at the ceiling.

Virgil watched him like that for a few long moments before working up the courage to ask the question he already knew the answer to. 

“So, how did it go with Asher?”

Patton’s smile grew awestruck, eyes glazing over further, and Virgil internally groaned.

“We talked it through,” he said, unaware that every word sent a figurative punch to Virgil’s gut, “He’s going to work on being a better boyfriend. And I am too, and he said we’re going to make this work.”

Virgil scraped his teeth along his bottom lip, not wanting to burst his friend’s bubble but not being able to withhold his concerns. 

“Is he really going to work on being better?” he asked quietly.

Patton’s smile turned a little sad, and he finally lolled his head over to meet Virgil’s concerned gaze. 

“Well it’s progress, right? That he wanted to talk things through in person?”

Virgil wasn’t so sure it was. He kept his mouth shut and gave a small smile he hoped did not resemble a grimace. 

“I hope it works out for you, Pat,” he said, the only thing he could say right now with complete sincerity that would not leave his friend in tears. His heart ached at the happy smile Patton gave him in return before the boy pulled himself to his feet with a sigh.

“Have you had lunch?” Patton asked.

Virgil shook his head, not bothering to tell him he had skipped breakfast too in all his worrying.

“Chicken stir fry sound good? I think we have everything for it.”

Virgil nodded, already pulling Logan’s contact info up on his phone. “Sure, sounds great.”

“Great! Oh, we should invite Lo! It’s his favorite, and I bet he hasn’t eaten anything yet either.”

Virgil just grinned to himself as he finished typing the message. “Good thinking, Pat.”

Only a moment later, Virgil received a reply.

**Logan:** Patton is cooking, correct?

Virgil rolled his eyes, cheeks flushing at the reminder of the one time he had attempted to make Patton’s famous stir fry and had accidentally managed to briefly set the kitchen on fire instead. 

“Duh,” was all he replied.

**Logan:** Then I will be over momentarily. 

Virgil snorted, muttering “dork” under his breath and sliding his phone into his back pocket as he moved to the kitchen. 

“He’ll be here soon,” he said as he hopped up on the counter.

Patton smiled at him from over his shoulder, the enticing smell of lightly seasoned vegetables already wafting through the air and circling warmly around Virgil’s shoulders. 

“Perfect, it should be ready by the time he gets here!”

Virgil smiled at his friend and pulled his phone back out, deciding to scroll through Tumblr a bit as Patton continued to cook with the faint hum of a Disney tune light on his lips.

It wasn’t long before a steady knock sounded at the door, Patton’s gleeful squeal bringing a soft smile to Virgil’s face.

“He’s here!” Patton announced, as if Virgil had not already come to that same conclusion.

Chuckling, Virgil hopped off the counter and headed toward the door. “I’ll get it,” he said. He opened the door to find Logan as sharp as always, shirt perfectly ironed, tie in place, and hair carefully swept away from his face. 

Virgil gave a low whistle as he leaned his weight against the doorframe, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. “Looking good, Lo. Got a date?”

Logan rolled his eyes, though he could not quite hide the slight blush on his cheeks as he effectively pushed his way inside the apartment. “You know I always dress this way,” he said pointedly.

Virgil grinned as he closed the door behind them. “And I continue to wonder how you are still single.”

Logan’s blush brightened ever so slightly, the rosy colour reaching the tips of his ears, and Virgil shot him a self-satisfied smirk even as Logan turned away and rushed into the kitchen, muttering under his breath the whole way.

Patton seemed oblivious to this entire interaction as he caught sight of Logan and immediately threw himself into his friend’s arms. 

If it had been anyone but Patton, Logan would have caved under the sudden pressure, sending both of them tumbling to the floor, but after years of Patton’s surprise tackle hugs, Logan had learned not to be surprised. His arms wrapped around Patton’s shoulders effortlessly, almost reflexively, causing a warm giggle to sprout from Patton’s lips.

With a wide, toothy grin, Patton titled his head back to meet Logan’s gaze. “Hi, Lo!”

Logan breathed out a soft huff, a sound that most would confuse as indignation or perhaps outright annoyance, but Patton knew Logan well and recognized the sound for the fond bemusement it was. 

“Hello, Patton,” Logan greeted as he carefully helped the other man shift his weight back to his own feet. “You are looking quite.. refreshed, today.”

Patton giggled and turned back to plating the food, missing Virgil’s poorly concealed wince as he answered with ease, “Well it’s a good day! And besides, I’ve got two of my best friends here with me now!”

Logan’s lips twitched into a barely-there smile as he watched Patton place the plates onto the table with a satisfied smile. “Thank you for inviting me. It looks and smells quite delectable.”

Patton’s grin practically glowed at the praise. “Aw, thanks, Lo! Of course we’d invite you, we love you!”

Logan only offered a grateful smile as the three of them took their seats and began to eat. They chatted idly about their plans for the day, the upcoming lessons Logan had planned for his students, and the increasingly warming weather. Conversation was light, and though the topics were bordering on mundane, there was a sense of normalcy the three of them could appreciate. It was simple, easy, like a breath of fresh air, until the topic shifted to Virgil and Patton’s platonic date and, from there, came to settle upon Patton’s visit with Asher. 

The change in the atmosphere was immediate, though Patton thankfully seemed blissfully unaware. Virgil’s shoulders were tense, expression carefully blank as he listened to his friend openly fawn over the manipulative man. 

Logan was not faring much better, his posture unusually rigid and eyes darkening by the moment. He pursed his lips, sharing a pointed look with Virgil across the table. 

Patton sighed dreamily as he finished his recount of the night’s events, dopey smile still firmly in place.

Logan cleared his throat and attempted a smile, and though Virgil could see how strained it was, Patton, again, seemed unfazed. 

“I am glad you had a pleasant evening, Patton,” Logan said.

Patton grinned, a warm glow emanating about him. “Thanks, Logan. I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but I really think this could be different. He’s changed.”

Logan’s fingers clenched into a fist beneath the table, but otherwise, he showed no emotion toward Patton’s statement. He merely nodded and gently placed his fork onto his now empty plate. “I wish you all the best, Patton,” he said, the same words that he had spoken the last four times Patton had blindly run back into Asher’s arms. 

He cleared his throat and offered a small smile. “Thank you for the invitation and the delicious food,” he said, “it was a pleasant surprise.”

Virgil mentally kicked himself into regaining his composure, smiling back at his friend. “Anytime, Logan. You should come around more.”

“Yeah! We miss you!” Patton agreed.

Logan chuckled at his enthusiasm and carefully adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Yes, well, perhaps when I am not so busy-“

“You’ll join us for dinner again?” Patton interrupted, eyes wide as his hopeful smile shined brighter than the summer sun outside. “Maybe we could even have a game night? Or a movie night? Or a movie-game night?”

Logan huffed at his antics, but his eyes were soft. “Perhaps,” was all he said, but it was enough to make Patton’s heart swell, an excited cheer already forming on his lips. Virgil sat back in his chair and watched with an amused smirk as Patton began pestering Logan about what movies and games they should consider for their night of fun.

It took a few minutes for Logan to reign in Patton’s unbridled excitement, with the reluctant help of Virgil as well, but eventually, Logan was able to say his goodbyes, and Patton and Virgil walked him to the door. 

“You’ll come back soon, right?” Patton asked, fluttering his eyelashes in his signature “Pattonted” puppy dog eyes. That single look had brought countless people to their metaphorical knees, bending their wills to Patton’s every whim.

For the most part, Logan seemed to be immune, but he could not help the feeling of guilt that overcame him for not spending more time with his friends. Still, he nodded, lips quirking into the slightest of smiles. “Of course, Patton. As soon as I have the chance.”

Patton seemed appeased by this statement and launched himself into Logan’s waiting arms once more, squeezing him tight as he nuzzled his face into his friend’s chest. “Love you, Lo!”

Logan awkwardly returned the embrace, wide eyes locking onto Virgil’s amused ones from above Patton’s mop of curls. It was clear that Virgil would once again not be of any help, and Logan sighed as he resigned himself to the task of releasing himself from Patton’s surprisingly iron grip. 

Eventually, Logan managed to coax Patton into Virgil’s embrace instead, and with a final nod, he left the two of them on the doorstep.

Patton sighed as he watched Logan go, allowing most of his weight to lean into Virgil’s arms. “He needs to work on taking care of himself more.”

Virgil chuckled at the irony of the statement, actively ignoring the bitter feeling trying to claw its way into his heart. He gently squeezed Patton’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s clean up and watch a movie.”

“Oh, can we watch _Tarzan_?” 

Virgil laughed softly as Patton excitedly led the way back into the kitchen. “Of course,” he said, allowing the warmth of Patton’s carefree laugh to envelop him completely.

Virgil sighed as he fell back onto his bed, his head bouncing against the pillow. Despite having not done much more than worry for most of the day, Virgil was exhausted. Seeing Logan had been a welcomed distraction, and the rest of the evening with Patton had gone rather smoothly, but Virgil’s anxieties were still lingering in the back of his mind.

Glancing at his bedside clock informed him that it was nearing midnight, and with a frown, he checked his phone. He did not have a missed call, an unread text, or a single notification. That was unusual, seeing as Roman always texted him when he had a chance amidst his busy schedule. 

Virgil scrolled to Roman’s contact, finger hovering above the call button. He wanted so badly to call his boyfriend, to hear his boisterous laugh and soothing words. Virgil just knew he would be able to fall asleep much more easily if he could have a moment to talk to him, but it was late, even later where Roman was. The other boy was probably already fast asleep, exhausted from a long day, and Virgil did not want to wake him from his self-proclaimed beauty sleep. 

With another sigh, Virgil locked his phone and placed it on the nightstand before crawling beneath his sheets. He reached over and turned out the light before burrowing further into the warmth that now surrounded him. His mind was racing, a headache forming at his temples, but he closed his eyes and willed himself to fall asleep. 

Things would be better tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fillery chapter, just some fluff with some super minor angst

A few weeks had passed, and things were decidedly not better.

When Patton was not at work, he was at Asher’s, and not only was Virgil constantly worried about him but the apartment was becoming far too empty and cold for his comfort. 

Schools were back in session, leaving Logan extra busy with his work. They had never had their movie-game night, and though Logan promised he would make it up to them when he could, it did not seem like it would be anytime soon.

Janus also seemed rather busy lately. Since Alani had gone back to school, he had not said more than two words to Virgil, or anyone for that matter, other than Remus and Alani. 

Roman was even more swamped as well. He still tried to call Virgil every evening and texted him whenever he had a break, but the missed calls and unread messages were beginning to pile up, leaving an unwelcomed bubble of anxiety simmering in Virgil’s gut. 

Virgil had not left the apartment in three days, his mind a swirling, chaotic mess of worries and self-deprecating thoughts. He put on a pretty decent act any time Roman spoke to him, never letting his boyfriend know how trapped he felt in his own head. He had not spoken to Patton at all, and he tried to ignore the sting he felt each time he checked his phone and did not even find a hello text from his best friend.

Today would be different though, he had decided. Virgil was beginning to grow restless from staying in for so long, and though the outside world now seemed more daunting than ever, he had made up his mind that it was time to get out. 

It had taken a few hours to get ready, his mind and body feeling extra sluggish as he moved about the apartment, but he was finally ready to go. He checked his phone again, rereading the address of his destination, and locked the door behind him as he left.

The summer sun was high in the sky, and the heat was a sudden shock to Virgil’s system, but he welcomed the warmth on his back as he made his way down the street. The apartment had been cold these past few days, not just from the obvious lack of Patton’s presence but also because Virgil had the tendency to not bother with the power when he was alone. Knowing that Patton would not be home each evening had sent him back into old habits of shuffling around in the dark and living off of stale chips and flat soda. 

It was not healthy, and Virgil knew that, but he had always struggled with taking care of himself. Today, though, he was making an effort.

It did not take long for Virgil to reach his destination, a little pale-yellow house on the outskirts of town. The flowers in the yard were aesthetically pleasing, emitting a soft aroma that put Virgil’s nerves at ease as he strolled up the walkway to the front door. 

He could already hear a dog barking from beyond the walls, a smile twitching at his lips as he knocked on the door. Only a second later, the door opened to reveal an older woman, hair tied up in a neat bun atop her head and eyes crinkling as she smiled out at him.

“Virgil?” she asked sweetly.

He smiled back at her, “Yes, ma’am, sorry I’m a little late.”

“Oh nonsense,” the woman said, opening the door a little more. A chocolate lab pushed its head through the small opening, tongue lapping out of its mouth as it looked up at Virgil with wide brown eyes.

The woman chuckled at the dog, reaching down to hook a leash onto its collar. “She’s excited to see you,” she said.

“The feeling’s mutual,” Virgil said, bending to give a tentative pat to the dog’s head. She seemed to grin up at him, trying to lick at his hand as he pulled away.

“Her name is Gloria, and she’s certainly an excited one,” the woman laughed. “She may tug you a bit, but she’s a good girl, and she’d never hurt a soul.”

Virgil grinned at her as she passed the leash into his hands, finally opening the door enough that Gloria could run out and sniff at Virgil’s shoes. “I’m sure we’ll have a great time together, Ms.- “

“Oh, Sherry McCallister! Forgive me, I’m a bit out of sorts today,” Sherry said with a sheepish smile.

Virgil shook his head as Gloria nuzzled at his fingers, prompting him into petting her ears as he spoke. “It’s fine, Ms. McCallister, we all have those days.”

Sherry laughed a little at that. “Please, call me Sherry, and yes, I suppose we do, but it makes me feel a bit older each time,” she chuckled. “You’ll take good care of my girl for me, won’t you?”

Virgil nodded, “Yes ma’am. I’ll have her back here in a couple of hours.”

“Alright, well have a good day, Virgil, and thank you so much for the help!”

“It’s my pleasure,” Virgil assured her. He gave Gloria another pat atop the head before gently leading her down the walkway toward the sidewalk.

Walking Gloria was exactly what Virgil had needed. The dog had been excited just to meet him and walk along the sidewalk with him, but when they arrived to the dog park just a couple of blocks down, she had lit up with the excitement of a small child- or an adorable puppy. 

She began jumping up toward Virgil’s elbows, her tail wagging back at forth at a seemingly painful speed. Her energy only increased when Virgil retrieved a tennis ball from within his hoodie pocket and knelt to her level.

“You’re such a good girl, Gloria,” he praised as he unhooked her leash. Gloria’s whole body began to sway as she lowered herself to the ground, eyes flickering between Virgil and the ball in his hand.

“You want to play?” he asked as he held the ball up.

Gloria immediately jumped to her feet, eyes locked onto the ball as she let out a sharp bark of anticipation.

Virgil laughed softly as he stood to his feet, pulling his arm back and firmly launching the ball across the park.

Gloria took off at top speed, and Virgil watched with an amused grin as he waited for her to return. 

This was what he needed. Fresh air and a friend in the form of a very eager puppy. He had not taken many jobs lately, and he had forgotten just how therapeutic dog walking was for him. Whenever he was with a dog, he completely forgot his worries. It was one of the few times he could truly live in the moment, and he loved meeting new doggy friends. Meeting their owners often caused some nervousness, but the fun he would have with his new friends made the dreaded social interaction worth it. 

Gloria was no exception, her excitement pouring off of her in waves and filling Virgil’s heart with warmth and his head with happy thoughts. They played together at the park for about an hour, playing fetch until Virgil’s arm began to ache and then switching to a rough version of tag. When Gloria collapsed next to Virgil in the soft grass, both panting from exertion, he deemed the day a success. Reaching over, Virgil softly stroked the dog’s fur as she caught her breath, internally praying that Ms. McCallister would ask for his help again in the future.

Once Gloria had regained her strength, Virgil re-hooked her leash and pulled himself to his feet. He once again praised her for her good behavior as he led her out of the park and back toward home. 

Sherry greeted them at the door with a wide smile and an envelope in hand. “There’s my girl,” she cooed, scratching softly behind the dog’s ear, “How’d she do?”

“She was great,” Virgil answered as he knelt beside Gloria. He ran his hand down her fur, patting her gently on the back. “We had lots of fun, didn’t we girl?”

Sherry laughed as she took the leash back from Virgil and replaced it with the envelope. “Your payment is in here, dear. And thank you again, Virgil, she seems to really like you. We may have to do this again soon.”

Virgil grinned back at her. “Anytime, Ms. McCallister. Gloria’s awesome to work with.”

“Sherry,” she admonished, but otherwise let the slip go. “Have a nice day, dear.”

“Thank you, ma’am, you too.”

Sherry gave him one last smile as she gingerly led Gloria back into her home and shut the door, leaving Virgil alone on the doorstep.

With a pleased sigh, Virgil turned and began his way home. He knew his apartment would still be empty and that he would have to fend for himself for dinner again, but the image of Gloria’s happy smile remained in his mind, calming his thoughts and providing a sense of peace he had longed for.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alani is here~ <3 
> 
> warnings for this chapter include: mild language via Remus ; vague mentions/references to fights/arguments ; food mentions

Virgil’s fingers tapped against the steering wheel, creating a sharp cadence that mirrored his own heart. He hated showing up uninvited and unannounced, but it had been so long since he had heard from his friend that he could hardly stand it anymore. Virgil had just gone out for a quick grocery run, but driving home, he had noticed Janus’s truck sitting innocently in his driveway. Remus’s jeep was not there, and it was too early for Alani to be home from school. 

Really, Virgil should have kept driving. Clearly, Janus was busy, and he would just be intruding- but he had turned into the driveway anyway, parked his car, and shut off the engine. 

Now here he was, biting his cheek as he stared at his friend’s closed door. He should just leave- turn the car on and _go._

He unlatched his seatbelt and stepped out of the car, locking the doors behind him as he slowly made his way to the front door.

Virgil took a deep breath and knocked, trying to convince himself that the worst that could happen is Janus asks him to come back another time.

He scowled at himself for allowing his anxiety to grow so loud these past weeks. 

The door opened a moment later, effectively cutting through Virgil’s worries and replacing them with even more.

Janus stood before him with tired eyes surrounded by deep purple bags, his hair wild and unkempt, a clear sign that he had been raking his fingers through the strands. His shoulders were hunched, and his lips were pulled into a deep frown, and still, when he saw Virgil standing there on the other side of the door, his eyes brightened just a bit, the tiniest of smiles coming to rest on his lips.

“Virge, hey, I wasn’t expecting you. Wait, we didn’t have anything planned today, did we?” he asked, eyes growing wide with dread.

Virgil quickly shook his head, watching Janus’s shoulders deflate as he explained, “No, no, I was just riding by, and I, uh, thought I’d check in.”

The relief on Janus’s face was short-lived, as guilt soon took over. “Oh, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” he asked, voice uncharacteristically soft.

Virgil could not help but frown at his friend, nodding. “Yeah, a few weeks. I mean, I get it, I know you’re busy and everything! I just saw you were home, and I thought I’d see how you were doing.”

Janus offered a weak smile, silently seeming to contemplate something before stepping aside and motioning inside. “Would you like to come in?”

“I- don’t want to intrude,” Virgil said.

Janus laughed softly, opening the door just a little wider. “Nonsense, you are always welcome here. Please, come in.”

Virgil felt a warmth blossoming in his chest as he smiled at Janus and stepped into the home. He was surprised to find the normally immaculate house to be in a bit of disarray. It was not anything too messy, just precariously stacked papers lining the couch, some books lying face down on the floor near the bookshelf, and Virgil thought he could glimpse a full sink through the kitchen’s entrance. It was not much, but it was so unlike Janus that it made Virgil’s heart sink to his stomach.

Janus seemed to notice his concern but mistakenly took it for something akin to disgust as he began frantically picking up the fallen books and shoving them back into their places. “Sorry about the mess, I was just cleaning up.”

Virgil shook his head. “No, it’s fine. You should see my place right now,” he said, forcing a laugh and cringing at how strained it sounded. 

Janus paused his frantic movements, a knowing look in his eye as he met Virgil’s gaze. “Patton?”

Virgil winced at the single question, something cold and unpleasantly bitter settling in his gut. “Yeah, um, he hasn’t been home in a few days,” he said, trying to avoid Janus’s gaze.

Janus sighed. “How long?”

“Uh, nine days, I think?”

He shook his head, having seemingly forgotten about the misplaced books as he crossed the room and collapsed onto the loveseat. Janus leaned back into the cushions, tilting his head back and allowing his eyes to slip closed. 

Virgil watched him like that for a few moments, until the silence became an unbearable weight on his heart. “You’ve been busy?” he asked quietly.

Janus hummed but said nothing more, and for a moment, Virgil contemplated forcing out a goodbye and running out. Thankfully, Janus spoke again before he had come to a decision. 

“You could say that,” he said, voice almost as quiet as Virgil’s own, something that made Virgil’s skin crawl with uneasiness. “Alani’s still adjusting to second grade. I haven’t been able to find a job. Remus is as busy as always, and when he’s home, all we do is argue.”

Virgil frowned at him, unsure of what to say. “Do you… I mean, is there something I could, help you with?”

Janus was quiet for a few seconds before he lifted his head and met Virgil’s eyes once more. “I can’t ask you to do that, V,” he whispered.

Virgil tried to ignore how tired and broken his friend sounded. He shook his head. “You’re not asking, I’m offering.”

Janus watched him for a moment, seeming to thoroughly analyze Virgil’s offer in his mind. He sighed, “Honestly, that would be amazing.”

Virgil tried to give him a smile, though he felt it might have turned out more as a grimace. “Just tell me what you need, Jay.”

Janus smiled a bit at the nickname, his eyes traveling about the room. “I’ve got to get this cleaned up… I also have to run a few errands in town, make some payments, pick up a few things… Alani gets out of school in about,” he glanced at the clock on the wall, colour draining from his face as he groaned. “Shit, about twenty minutes actually.”

Virgil bit his lip before hesitantly suggesting, “I could pick up Alani?”

Janus looked at him with wide eyes as if he had not considered that to be an option. “You would do that?”

Virgil shrugged, trying to hide the bit of hurt he felt that Janus would have to ask such a thing. “Of course,” he said, “I love Alani. I could pick her up, maybe take her out for a bit so you can get everything done around here. We’d have a good time, I think.”

Janus’s lips quirked into a warm smile, his eyes softening at the thought. “Yeah, I think you would,” he mumbled. “Well, if you’re really okay with it…”

“Absolutely,” Virgil said firmly, throwing in a smile for good measure.

Janus’s smile grew a bit at the gesture, unknowingly filling Virgil’s heart with relief. “That would be great, Virgil. It would really help.”

Virgil was not really sure how this worked, but he tried to ignore the spike of panic that coursed through him as he pulled into the school pick up lane, thankful for arriving ten minutes early if the line was already seven cars long and growing. Janus had said that Alani’s class would be one of the first out the door, so Virgil should not have to wait long. Sometimes they even let the youngest grades out early.

That seemed to be the case as Virgil watched a group of tiny humans shuffle out the front doors, corralled by two adults that helped the children line up along the wall. Another woman exited behind them with a clipboard in hand, and she made her way to the front of the cars. 

Virgil glanced through the children but did not see Alani’s familiar face. With a sigh, he leaned further back into his seat and tried to relax a bit as he waited.

A few minutes passed, a couple of cars had pulled away, and Virgil carefully pulled up next to the woman with the clipboard, her smiling face peering at him through the window. He quickly rolled down the window and offered her a nervous smile.

“Hello, sir, who are you here for?”

“Alani Hart-Kingsley,” Virgil answered, glancing behind her to the children emerging from the school’s entrance. “Her father sent me.”

“Her father?” the woman asked, her eyes scanning her papers for Alani’s name.

“Janus Hart,” he said. 

“Okay, and what’s your name, sir?”

“Virgil O’Mara.”

The woman nodded with a smile as she looked back at the children present. “One sec,” she said as she walked away.

Virgil watched as she walked over to one of the teachers, unsure of what she was saying, but soon enough Alani was rushing forward to hold the woman’s hand as she led her back over to Virgil’s car.

The woman opened the back door, helped Alani into the booster seat Janus had lent him, and wished her a good day as she closed the door behind her.

Virgil smiled and gave her a grateful wave as he slowly pulled out of the lot, glancing at Alani in the rearview mirror.

“Hey, sprout,” he said with a smile.

Alani seemed to bounce in her seat, her grin stretching wide across her face. “Hi, Vee-vee! I didn’t know you were picking me up today!”

“Well I didn’t have anything to do today, and I thought it was about time we hung out. What do you think?”

“Yeah!” Alani cheered, a giggle light on her lips. “So you asked to pick me up?”

“Yeah, is that okay?” Virgil asked, glancing back at her again.

“Yep! I just thought Daddy couldn’t pick me up again.”

Virgil’s brows furrowed for a second before realization hit him. He tried not to react as he changed the subject. “What do you want to do today? We have a couple hours, I think.”

Alani beamed at him through the mirror, her eyes lighting up at the question. “Ummmmm, can we get ice cream?”

“Absolutely,” Virgil said with a grin.

“And go to the park?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“And feed the ducks?”

Virgil chuckled at the wondrous look in the child’s eyes. “Definitely. Do you want ice cream or ducks first?”

“Ducks!”

“Yes ma’am,” Virgil saluted, changing course for the nearest grocery store to buy some bread for the ducks.

Alani was practically vibrating in her seat as Virgil pulled up to the park’s entrance. “Ducks, ducks, ducks~” she chanted, unbuckling her seat and reaching for the door handle.

“Wait for me,” Virgil said as he turned the car off and exited the vehicle, circling back to Alani’s door. She grinned up at him as he opened her door and helped her out, her little hand clutching onto his tight.

“Ducks!” Alani exclaimed, and Virgil chuckled at her, locking the doors before leading her toward the park’s pond.

“If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were excited for the ducks, Alani,” Virgil said.

“I am!”

Virgil felt his heart swell at the little girl’s unbridled excitement. They approached the pond, Alani muttering under her breath as she counted the ducks lining the fence. 

“Seven, eight, nine! Nine ducks, Vee-Vee!”

Virgil smiled down at her, nodding. “Good job, sprout. Think you can feed that many?”

“Yes!” Alani cheered, releasing his hand to reach up toward him, her fingers making the grabby motion until Virgil reached down and swept her into his arms.

Virgil carefully set her on the top rail of the fence, his hands keeping her steady as she took the little sandwich bag of bread crumbs out of her jacket pocket. Alani hummed to herself as she opened the bag and grabbed a handful of crumbs, happily throwing them out toward the quacking ducks. She giggled when their quacking became faster as they waddled closer, pecking at the bread along the ground.

“Ducks are so funny,” she said to herself.

Virgil grinned from over her shoulder, rubbing her back a bit as he watched her. “They’re pretty cool though, aren’t they?”

Alani nodded, a serious look crossing her face. “Yes, they have special oils on their feathers that make it so they don’t get wet!”

“Oh, they do?” Virgil asked, “That is cool. Did you learn that in school?”

“Nuh-uh, from Uncle Lo.”

“Ahh, that makes sense.”

Alani went back to humming as she continued to feed the ducks, occasionally trying to imitate them too.

Virgil watched her with attentive eyes and a far-too-adoring look that he would deny if anyone had pointed it out. They stayed until the breadcrumbs were gone and a little after that, Alani perfectly content to just watch the little animals below.

After a while, Virgil nuzzled the girl’s hair, pulling a little giggle from her lips. He smiled, “You ready for some ice cream?”

“Ice cream!” Alani cheered in lieu of an answer.

Virgil chuckled at her and helped her down from the fence, taking her hand in his once more. “Tell the ducks bye, then.”

She waved vigorously, Virgil worrying that she would dislocate her arm from the movement, and yelled, “Bye-bye, duckies!”

Virgil smiled and also waved goodbye to the ducks before gently leading Alani back toward the car.

Alani kicked her legs back and forth as she happily ate her ice cream cone, focused solely on the task at hand. 

Virgil watched her with a small smile on his face, a strange feeling in his chest that he could not quite name. “Good?” he asked.

Alani nodded, her bright hazel eyes flickering up to his. “Yessss~” she sang.

Virgil grinned back at her and began eating his own ice cream, content to just sit in silence with the girl as the sun heated their backs and the soft chattering of passersby surrounded them.

“Vee-Vee?”

“Hm?” Virgil hummed, trying to chase down a rogue bead of ice cream before it made it too far down his cone. 

“Does Daddy miss me?”

Virgil’s heart skipped a beat, eyes wide as he looked at the girl before him. She still seemed to be enjoying her ice cream, but her eyes were a little darker, a thin line creasing between her brows. 

“Remus?” he asked, already sure that was who she meant. 

She nodded, avoiding his gaze. Her feet slowly came to a stop.

Virgil frowned at her. “I’m sure he does, sprout,” he said, voice carefully soft. “He loves you, you know?”

Alani nodded, silently licking her ice cream. 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know he’s been busy a lot lately,” he said, “and I know you miss him. But your daddy has loved you since before you were born. He definitely misses you, Alani.”

Alani glanced up at him before looking back down. “Then why does he work so much?”

Virgil felt his stomach twist, something very close to nausea clawing at his throat. “For you, hun,” he said, “I know it doesn’t seem like it, and it’s not fair, but he works hard for you, and Janus. To keep you guys warm and fed and safe.”

“Because he loves us?” she asked, round eyes locking onto his once more.

Virgil nodded, a soft smile on his face. “Exactly.”

Alani slowly nodded, her feet beginning to sway once more. “I hope he can play with me more soon.”

“Me too, sprout… Finish your ice cream before it melts.”

Alani gave the most exaggerated gasp she could muster – a habit she had definitely picked up from Roman- and began eating her ice cream with renewed vigor, sour mood seemingly forgotten. 

Virgil chuckled at her and went back to eating his own, keeping a light expression on his face even as their conversation played on a loop within his mind. 

Virgil held back a sigh as he pulled up next to Janus’s car, his heart sinking as Alani glanced around her surroundings.

“Daddy’s not home,” she said, mostly to herself.

“I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” Virgil said, praying that he was right as he exited the car and made his way around to Alani. He helped her out of the car, locking the doors before bypassing her outstretched hand in favor of scooping her into his arms.

Alani’s wild giggles filled the air as Virgil swung her in circles before setting her atop his shoulders. He grinned up at her still smiling face and began walking toward the door.

“Did you have fun today?”

Alani nodded, her curls bouncing around her face as Virgil walked. Her smile was bright, all teeth, as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her face nuzzling into his hair. 

“Thank you, Vee-Vee!”

Virgil smiled up at her. “You’re welcome, we should do this again sometime, hm?”

“Yeah!”

Virgil laughed and gave a light knock on the door before easing it open. “Jan? We’re home,” he called inside.

“We’re home!” Alani mirrored.

Janus’s chuckle came from the kitchen, the man appearing after a moment as Virgil and Alani both ducked to make it through the door.

“Alani, you’ve grown taller, haven’t you?” Janus questioned, tilting his head in mock confusion.

Alani giggled as Virgil twirled in place, absentmindedly digging her fingers into Virgil’s hair for balance.

Virgil winced, but his grin was firmly in place as he came to a stop and carefully set the girl onto her own feet. 

“I’m just normal size, Daddy!” Alani cheered, flinging herself at Janus and clutching tightly at his legs.

Janus laughed at his daughter, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “So you are,” he said, that familiar softness that only existed for Alani filtering through his voice. “Did you enjoy your afternoon with Virgil?”

“Yes! We went to the park and fed the ducks and got ice cream!”

“Wow, you guys were busy, huh?”

“Mhmm~”

Janus chuckled and looked back at Virgil, still smiling that same soft smile. “Thank you, Virgil.”

Virgil offered a sheepish grin, shrugging his shoulders. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Would you like to-“

“I’m home, sluts!” Remus yelled as he burst through the door, grinning as he threw his arms out wide. “Miss me?”

Janus sighed, but he did not have the chance to rebuke Remus for his choice of words before Alani had squirmed out of his hold. 

“Daddy!” She cried as she launched herself into his arms, giggling as Remus swept her up and nuzzled her nose. 

“Hey, Diddle-doodle!” Remus grinned, “How’s my girl?”

“Good! Vee-Vee took me to the park today!”

“Oh, that’s fun! Did you break anything?” Remus asked, eyes flashing with dangerous excitement.

Virgil silently raised a brow at the question, but Alani only giggled and cuddled further into her dad’s arms. 

“No, we just fed the ducks. It was fun, I wish you had been there,” she said, burying her face in his neck.

Remus’s grin became a bit more plastic around the edges, his arms tightening around Alani as his eyes shifted toward Janus.

There was silence for a few agonizingly long seconds, tension thick in the air, before Remus planted a kiss on Alani’s temple. 

“I’m sorry, baby,” he said, voice the softest Virgil had ever heard, “next time, I’ll feed the ducks with you. Okay, doodle?”

Alani nodded, not lifting her head from his chest. 

Remus sighed and bounced her a bit in his arms. “Movie night?”

Virgil heard Alani’s dramatic gasp even though she did not move at all. 

“Movie night! Movie night?”

Remus grinned and batted his eyes at Janus, subtly swishing his hips. “Movie night, Daddy?” he asked in a sing-song voice.

Virgil inwardly cringed at that but still couldn’t help the quiet chuckle that slipped through his lips.

Janus shot him a knowing look that only fueled the laughter beginning to bubble in Virgil's chest but didn’t comment as he turned back to his family. His lips quirked into a tiny smile. “That sounds nice,” he said.

Remus and Alani’s cheers filled the air as Remus carried the girl to the couch and plopped down onto the cushions. Still grinning, he looked up at Virgil, finally meeting his gaze for the first time in weeks. 

“You staying, Mr. Brightside?” 

Virgil paused, eyes instinctively flickering to Janus’s for a fraction of a second. Confused by that very notion himself, Virgil shook his head. “Uh, no, thanks, but I need to get home in case… Patton comes home,” he said, forcing a smile.

Remus raised his brows at that. “Still not home then? Trouble in paradise?”

Virgil’s hands found their way into his hoodie pockets, shoulders curling in on himself. “No, he’s just, um… He’ll be home soon.”

Remus nodded, not looking convinced in the slightest, but thankfully he didn’t say anything else.

Janus sighed, “I’ll walk you out then, Virge.”

Virgil nodded and walked to the door, Janus on his heels. He stepped outside and turned to say goodbye, but his breath caught in his throat at Janus’s gentle smile.

“Thanks again, V,” he whispered. 

Virgil bit his cheek and nodded. “Anytime,” he said, surprised at how steady his voice sounded when he felt so unsteady on his feet. “Goodnight, J.”

Janus nodded at him, turning to go back inside, but he paused. Virgil thought he might have something more to say as that familiar, odd look crossed his face once more, but he only offered another grateful smile. 

“Goodnight, Virgil.”

Virgil watched as the door came to a gentle close, something unpleasant settling in his chest. 

He turned and walked back to his car.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim Burton marathon? Yes please.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this particular chapter include:  
> swearing; a brief sexual comment; mild angst; mentions of blood and roaches (from Sweeney Todd); food mentions; nondescript arguing/yelling
> 
> Let me know if I missed anything! <3
> 
> Also, sidenote: school's started again, and I'm struggling to be an Adult™ so I don't know how often this will be updated right now. I'm trying to stay a bit ahead though in case I don't have time to write much in the next couple of months. Please bear with me, and thank you for reading!

Virgil was surprised to wake up to the delightful smell of sizzling bacon in the air. Brows furrowed, he grabbed his phone, squinting at the time. It was only six in the morning, why was Patton-

Patton was home.

Virgil shot out of bed immediately, vision swimming and feet stumbling as he made his way to the hallway. He rushed to the kitchen, socked feet sliding on the tile as he came to a stop in the doorway.

Patton stood at the stove, carefully removing the pan from the heat as he glanced over his shoulder at Virgil. A small smile played on his lips. 

“Good morning, Virge!”

Virgil’s chest ached, and he was not sure if it was from Patton’s sudden appearance or the sprint he had just done. He tried to smile back at his friend, unsure if it came across as such. 

“Morning, Pat,” he said, voice still rough from sleep. He cleared his throat and stepped further into the kitchen, “I wasn’t expecting you so early.”

Patton laughed, but it sounded strange, though Virgil could not quite put his finger on why. 

“I live here, V, I can show up at any time.”

Virgil realized then the bitter tone that lay beneath Patton’s soft words and careful smile. He bit at his cheek, hoping to wake himself up more before he said something he really did not mean. 

“No, I- um, I just,” Virgil took a breath, ignoring the worried glance Patton threw his way. “It’s just six in the morning, and you’re usually just now waking up,” he explained slowly.

Patton looked at him for a moment, noting the bags under Virgil’s eyes and the harsh crease between his brows. He sighed, shoulders drooping as he ran a hand over his face.

“I’m sorry, Virgil,” he whispered, “I’m just tired. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

Virgil nodded, not really sure of what to say. His gaze darted about the room, looking anywhere but at his friend. 

“It’s fine,” he finally said with a shrug.

Patton frowned at him but turned away, beginning to make two plates of bacon, fried eggs, and toast. He set them both on the table before sitting down and wordlessly motioning to the seat across from him.

Virgil obeyed the silent command and took his seat, picking up his fork and awkwardly poking at his eggs.

Patton sighed again, not looking up from his plate. “I got up when Asher woke up for work this morning,” he said, “I would normally go back to sleep after he left, but we had a fi- an argument.”

Virgil nodded, keeping his eyes firmly on the food before him. 

Patton seemed to take this as an invitation to continue, “I asked if I needed to make dinner tonight or if he wanted to go out. He said I was smothering him and that I needed to go back to my own house.”

Virgil winced and finally glanced at his friend from beneath his bangs, heart clenching at the hurt on Patton’s face. 

“So I did,” Patton finished quietly, barely audible to Virgil’s ears even from such a short distance.

Virgil stabbed a piece of egg as he asked, “Want me to punch him?”

Patton laughed at that, though his voice sounded wet even before the tears began to well in the corners of his eyes. He blinked them away before they could truly form and gave Virgil a real smile, even if it was small.

“No, thanks though. I just really need my best friend.”

Virgil pointedly ignored the voice inside his head screaming that he himself had needed his best friend these past few days that Patton had been MIA. Instead, he smiled back at his friend, poking Patton’s foot with his own beneath the table and earning a slightly wider smile for it. 

“We can watch _Parks and Rec,_ ” he suggested, grinning at the way Patton’s eyes grew brighter, “maybe even make some cookies later?”

Patton chuckled and nodded, “That sounds great.”

Virgil smiled back at him before nodding toward Patton’s still untouched food. “Only after you finish your breakfast, though,” he said in his best fatherly imitation.

Patton laughed, the sound light and warm once more as he began eating. 

“You’re going to get sick if you keep eating that,” Virgil warned, though the grin on his face somewhat negated the effect.

Patton giggled even as he shoved another spoonful of cookie dough into his mouth. “Everyone knows the best part of baking cookies is getting to eat some of the cookie dough,” he said.

Virgil rolled his eyes and pointedly opened the oven door. “Yeah, yeah, but I’d like some actual cookies by the end of this.”

Patton chuckled but relented, dropping the spoon into the sink before carefully sliding the pan of cookies into the oven. After closing the door, Patton knelt down, peering into the window. “Cookies are a blessing to this world,” he whispered.

Virgil snorted and patted his friend on the shoulder. “Right, okay, come on. I think we can watch another episode before they’re done.”

“Oh yay~” Patton cheered, already up on his feet and rushing back into the living room.

Virgil watched him go with a fond eye roll before following and flopping back in his spot on the couch. Tucking his feet beneath himself, he curled into a ball and prepared to watch the episode Patton was cuing up, only to jump when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Thankfully, Patton had not seemed to notice his reaction, and Virgil pulled his phone out with a sigh. His eyes went wide as he read the name on his screen, and he quickly opened the message.

**Remus:** hey bitch! u missed a rlly good movie yesterday! captain hook is sex on a stick!!!

Virgil cringed, massaging his temple as he read the message. “What the fuck, Remus,” he whispered to himself. 

“Did you say something, Virge?” Patton asked as he settled back into his seat.

Virgil glanced up at him but shook his head. “No, just talking to myself, sorry.”

“Oh, okay,” Patton smiled, turning back to the show as it started.

Virgil’s phone buzzed in his hand again, and he took a breath, steeling himself for whatever TMI-esque rant Remus was on this time. However, he was not prepared for what Remus had actually sent.

**Remus:** no but for real, thanks for making my little girl happy, emo. we should hang out more.

Virgil suddenly felt like his lungs were in his throat. He was not sure how to respond to this side of Remus; it had been so long since Virgil had seen it, he had almost forgotten it was there.

Unsure of why his fingers were shaking, Virgil unsteadily typed back a reply, “Sure thing, Re. Let me know when you’re off again.”

Virgil stared down at his phone for a while, chest feeling oddly tight, but no reply came. He finally allowed the tension to drain from his shoulders as the oven timer went off, Patton’s enthusiasm for freshly baked cookies replacing the strange worries within his mind.

The reply did not come until much later, when Virgil was crawling into bed, eyelids already drooping from the emotional exhaustion he had been dealing with for days. 

**Remus:** you should come over saturday! we can watch tim burton movies! starting with _sweeney todd,_ of course.

Virgil stared down at the too-bright text, blinking slowly as he processed its words. Still feeling somewhat uneasy, he could not really find a reason to say no. 

“Sounds good.”

Saturday came, and despite his uneasiness about his movie plans with Remus, Virgil had decided he would not, in fact, back out at the last second- no matter how tempting it may be.

Besides, he needed a distraction. Patton was once again at Asher’s, had been since Thursday night, and who knew when he would be home again.

Virgil had told Remus he would be over around six, and the hour was creeping ever closer. With a nervous breath, Virgil tugged on his shoes, grabbed his keys, and made his way out the door.

He arrived at his destination just a little past six and was unpleasantly surprised to hear muffled shouts from inside before he had even reached the door. Virgil bit his lip as he approached, debating whether to leave after all. He could not make out many of the words, but both Janus’s and Remus’s voices were very distinct even through the barrier. 

Still not quite sure what to do, Virgil took a breath and gently knocked on the door.

The yelling inside immediately stopped, followed by hurried footsteps before the door was thrown open. Janus’s furrowed brow instantly smoothed, a small smile settling on his face even as confusion swirled in his eyes.

“Virgil,” he said, “what a pleasant surprise.”

Virgil bit the inside of his cheek, suddenly worried that he had gotten the dates mixed up and he was not supposed to be here at all. “Um-“

“We’re having a Tim Burton marathon!” Remus called from inside, bounding up to Janus’s side with a toothy grin.

Janus’s confusion only seemed to grow as he turned his attention to his boyfriend. “We are?”

Remus’s grin turned sharp as he rolled his eyes. “Yes, we are. I told you this.” He shook his head. “He never listens,” he said, turning back to Virgil. 

Virgil hummed a noncommittal sound, hoping to not encourage the tension already growing between the couple.

Janus’s brows were furrowed, a look of deep concentration on his face. He slowly shook his head. “You didn’t tell me that. I would have remembered that.”

Remus’s grin fell completely, eyes wide with exasperation as he looked at Janus. “Seriously? I told you after we finished _Hook,_ right after we put Alani to bed.”

Janus considered this for a moment before realization flashed in his eyes. “I was half asleep, Rem, I barely remember you saying anything at all.”

Remus rolled his eyes again. “But I told you, and you forgot, and that’s not my fault.”

Janus heaved a sigh, looking like he wanted to say more, but he shook his head and turned back to Virgil, still standing in the doorway.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Janus said, quickly moving out of the way and gesturing inside. “Please, come in.”

Virgil offered them both a small smile as he stepped inside. “Thanks… I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” 

“Nope!” Remus shouted, popping the ‘p’ with a grin. He grabbed onto Virgil’s wrist and happily tugged him over to the couch, both of them flopping back onto the cushions. “Janus was just going to make some popcorn! Weren’t you, babe?” he asked, eyes twinkling as he looked back at Janus.

Janus gave him a tightlipped smile. “Of course,” he said as he walked into the kitchen.

Virgil and Remus both watched him go before Remus grabbed the television remote and turned it on, scrolling through their recorded shows before finding _Sweeney Todd._

“Alani’s not here,” Remus said suddenly, placing the remote back onto the table. He turned and met Virgil’s gaze, still smiling. “She’s at Tiana’s, but she’ll be back around eight. That’s why I thought we should start with _Sweeney Todd._ Janus doesn’t think she should watch something this bloody yet.”

Virgil nodded, trying to push away the unease he felt with Remus’s eyes focused solely on him. He knew he was being stupid; it had just been so long since he and Remus really talked like this.

“That makes sense,” he said, glancing up at the movie’s title screen. “Will she join us when she gets home, or will it be too late?”

Remus sat up straighter, shoulders back and chin held just a bit higher. “I convinced J to let her watch _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ with us! But after that, she’ll need to take a bath and go to bed.”

Virgil could not help the smile that tugged at his lips. “Well at least she’ll get to see the best one.”

Remus laughed then, the sharp sound still loud and obnoxious but somehow more tolerable than usual. 

Janus entered the room then, a large bowl of popcorn in his hands. Wordlessly, he handed the bowl to Remus.

Remus took the bowl, scooped out a huge handful of popcorn, shoveled it into his face, and passed the bowl to Virgil. He then scooted over, closer to Virgil, and patted the space next to him.

Janus stared at him for a moment, the two of them seeming to have a silent conversation, before he relented with a soft sigh.

Remus hummed happily as he finished chewing his food, swallowing with a loud gulp and starting the movie.

Virgil glanced over his head to Janus, meeting his gaze for just a moment before they both turned to watch the screen.

Watching _Sweeney Todd_ was always an experience. Alone, Virgil became immersed in the story, feeling Sweeney’s pain, Johanna’s shackled spirit, and Mrs. Lovett’s hopeless love for the barber. With Logan, it was factual: “A cut there would not have killed that man so quickly. The aim should have been a little higher and to the left.” Patton did not like gory movies, but he did like the songs, so he would sometimes listen in as he cooked dinner or got ready for work. Roman, ever the dramatic, would belt out the songs along with the cast and often reenacted the scenes in a form of impromptu one-man shows as well. Virgil had watched the movie with Janus once, long ago, when he had found that they both shared a love for the film. They had had many discussions on the moral principles of each character, and Virgil enjoyed each of them. Janus, too, would sing along with some of the songs, but his voice never grew over a faint hum.

Virgil was not sure what to expect from Remus, but this was not quite it.

Throughout the opening scenes, Remus seemed perfectly content to watch the movie in silence, a small smile on his face. Then Mrs. Lovett began to sing about her awful pies, and Virgil watched as Remus’s grin grew wider, mouthing the words as he watched. 

Virgil cringed when the roach crawled out of Sweeney’s pie, but Remus only snickered quietly to himself, continuing to sing along under his breath. When the song ended, he turned toward Virgil, his green eyes glowing in the dim light of the television.

“Did you know that some of the pies on set were actually edible?”

Virgil blinked back at him, glancing back at the pies on screen. They certainly did not look edible. “Really?” he asked, not able to keep the skepticism from his voice.

This seemed to make Remus’s grin grow wider, eyes sparkling with a look that Virgil had seen many times, but never on Remus’s face. 

“Yeah! Some of them were made of rubber, but some of the pies were really edible. They weren’t the best, obviously, they’re just props, but they weren’t bad either.”

“That’s… kind of cool,” Virgil said, subconsciously turning more toward Remus. “How’d you know that?”

Remus practically beamed as he answered, “Oh I’m a slut for Tim Burton! Did you know that the blood they used in the film was actually orange? And it would burn your eyes!”

Virgil actually laughed at that, or maybe more at how utterly excited Remus seemed in that moment. Roman and Remus were nearly identical in every way, but Virgil had never really associated them together in his mind at all, but looking at Remus now, he could clearly see Roman’s sparkling eyes and beaming smile shining back at him. 

Virgil’s lips quirked up into a smirk. “You’re more of a nerd than I thought.”

Remus threw his head back and cackled, and for once, Virgil felt a warmth inside his chest as the sound filled the room.

Ten minutes after eight, just as the credits began to roll, a loud thump sounded at the door before the knob turned and Alani came running inside, a wide grin on her face. 

“Vee-Vee!” she yelled, immediately spotting Virgil and changing course to jump into his arms.

Virgil let out a loud _“oof”_ as she slammed into him, his arms wrapping tight around her. “Did you just slam yourself into the door?” he asked, chuckling at the girl in his arms.

Alani giggled and beamed up at him, showing off all her teeth as she nodded. 

Virgil rolled his eyes at her, a fond smile on his face. “Silly girl,” he muttered, only causing more giggles to fall from Alani’s lips.

Remus watched this exchange silently before slowly leaning toward his daughter, his eyes going comically wide as he batted his lashes at her. “Aww, Vee-Vee gets all the attentions today? None for Daddy?”

Alani continued to giggle, turning her face away and burrowing into Virgil’s chest. 

Janus frowned, muttering to Remus, “Let her be, he hasn’t seen her much lately.”

Remus turned to him with a sharp glare, “I haven’t seen her much lately.”

Janus’s eyes narrowed, lowering his voice further, “And who’s fault is that?”

Virgil felt his heart thrumming in his chest. He was not good with conflict, and he did not want to be here for another screaming match. Not to mention, Alani was still in his arms, a smile on her face, but worry in her eyes. Virgil cradled her closer, whispering in her ear, “Why don’t you hug your dad? He’s missed you a lot.”

Alani looked up at him with wide eyes, almost as if searching for something within Virgil’s own. Then she shimmied out of his arms and promptly threw herself into Remus’s, her little arms wrapping around his neck.

“Did you miss me, Daddy? Did you really?” she shouted, eyes wide and serious as she stared into Remus’s.

Remus was caught off guard, shoulders rigid and nonsense sputtering out of his mouth before he caught up with his daughter. His own hands held onto her tightly, hugging her to his chest. “Of course, I did, Doodle! I missed you so much!”

Alani’s grin was smothered into Remus’s chest, but he could feel it against his skin. “I missed you too, Daddy!”

Remus’s lips ticked up into a smile as he pressed a kiss to Alani’s crown, nuzzling into her hair. “We’re about to watch _The Nightmare Before Christmas,”_ he said, “do you want to watch with us?”

Alani jumped back, a large grin on her face that rivaled Remus’s own. “Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Sally, Sally!”

Remus laughed, ruffling the little girl’s hair, and Virgil caught sight of Janus’s fond smile from behind him. 

“That’s right, you love Sally. Why don’t you tell Vee-Vee how much you love her?” Janus said.

Alani’s eyes shown with determination as she turned toward Virgil and said, with the most seriousness a seven-year-old could muster, “I will marry her.”

Virgil immediately bit his tongue, trying not to laugh at the little girl. He smiled back at her, “I’m sure she’ll make a lovely wife.”

Alani nodded, still serious, before her bright grin appeared once more at full force. “Can we watch it now? Please, please, please!”

Remus laughed and leaned forward to nuzzle his nose against hers, eliciting more giggles from the girl. “Of course, Diddle-Doodle!”

“Yay!” Alani cheered as she spun around in her dad’s lap, snuggling deeper into his chest and watching the screen intently.

Remus only grinned down at her as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and resting his chin atop her head.

Virgil and Janus both watched this with fond amusement, sharing a look with one another before Janus turned to start the movie, and Virgil sat back in his seat.

After _The Nightmare Before Christmas,_ Janus had taken Alani to give her a bath. Somehow, in the time that they were gone, Alani had convinced her father to let her stay up a little later, and so she had curled up in Remus’s lap again to see the second half of _Big Fish._ However, she had fallen asleep long before the movie was over, and Janus was now scooping the child into his arms as delicately as he could.

Remus grinned up at the still sleeping girl before turning toward Virgil. “Do you want to stay the night?” he whispered.

Virgil paused, having not expected the offer. “That’s okay,” he said hurriedly, “I don’t live far.”

Remus pursed his lips at him, his head tilting a little to the side. “Patton isn’t home though, is he?”

Virgil bit back a sigh as he shook his head. 

“Then what’s the point in going back to an empty apartment this late?”

“Um,” Virgil muttered, eyes instinctively flickering toward Janus, who merely shrugged, careful not to wake the girl in his arms. “If- if you’re sure?”

Remus grinned at him, “Of course we’re sure. There’s some extra clothes in the guest room.”

Virgil nodded slowly, a grateful smile on his lips. “Okay, thanks.”

Remus helped Virgil find some clothes that fit him, both for that night and in the morning, whilst Janus took Alani to bed and tucked her in. As Virgil changed in one corner of the room, Remus pulled the small fan out from the closet and set it up, setting it on low. 

“It gets a bit warm in here during the summer,” he said.

Virgil finished pulling the clean shirt over his head, an old yellow t-shirt with his high school’s name on it that had to have been Janus’s. He ignored that thought and smiled back at Remus. “Thanks, Re.”

Remus smiled back at him, the look entirely too soft for Virgil’s comfort, as it was so unlike Remus. “Goodnight, emo,” he said.

“Goodnight,” Virgil whispered back, watching as Remus quietly ducked out of the room and shut the door behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things happen but nothing happens
> 
> warnings for this particular chapter:  
> swearing, mentions of punching, breakups, heartache, loneliness, all that jazz, let me know if there's anything else

Virgil groaned as he blinked his eyes open, thankful for the curtains that kept the sun’s harsh rays at bay. It took him a moment to remember why he was not in his own bed, but the memories of the night before came rushing back soon enough. He stretched his arms above his head, feeling his muscles twitch and his joints shift. The sheets were warm, and he had half a mind to just stay in bed for a few more hours.

Virgil reached over to the nightstand and grabbed his phone, relieved to find it had not died during the night. He would have brought his charger if he had known he would be staying. The time was only a little after seven, and he had three unread messages. He quickly unlocked his phone, reading through them.

**Patton:** Ill be home after my shift

Virgil frowned at that. It did not sound good, but Patton would already be at work by now, so he was not going to get any further information anytime soon. He sent back a couple of blue heart emojis anyway and clicked back to his unread messages.

**Remus:** goooood morning biotch!!!  
  
**Remus:** idk when youll be up but im leaving for work now. j and alani will probs sleep in some. feel free to take a shower or eat whatever you can find lolz

Virgil’s lips actually twitched into a smile at that, and he sent back a quick, “Thanks, Re, have a good day.”

His smile only faltered when he realized he had not received a message from Roman. The morning texts were becoming more and more scarce these days, and Virgil’s goodnight text from the night before seemed to have gone unnoticed as well.

Virgil opened Roman’s messages anyway and sent a simple, “Good morning,” adding a couple of red hearts for good measure. He lay there for a few minutes, just staring at his screen, before accepting that he would not receive a reply for a while.

Tossing his phone onto the pillow beside him, Virgil pulled himself out of bed. As warm and comfortable as the bed was, he was too awake to continue lying there. His mind was already beginning to buzz with worries and self-deprecating thoughts, and he quickly tried to shove them down. Maybe a hot shower would ease his mind.

Finding everything was easy enough; nothing had changed in the last five years, and Virgil had slept over enough to know where everything was kept. He set his clean clothes on the counter next to the sink and turned the water on. He undressed quickly, not a fan of the cold air that seemed to rush against his skin.

As he stepped under the water’s spray, Virgil felt his muscles begin to relax, a soft sigh escaping him. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, the warmth of the water, the droplets running down the back of his neck. It was grounding, and he was beginning to feel more like a person than a distraught zombie.

He was just beginning to wash his hair when he heard the door click open. Virgil’s breath caught in his throat, eyes wide as he heard someone step inside. He was sure he had locked the door.

The sink’s faucet turned on, and Janus heaved a sigh. “’Morning,” he muttered, voice thick with sleep.

Virgil swallowed the lump in his throat, trying very hard not to feel as naked as he was. “Morning,” he said, the action harder than it really should have been.

Silence fell between them for a few agonizing seconds before Virgil heard a loud thump from the other side of the shower curtain, followed by a few things falling off the edge of the counter.

“Shit! Virgil, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot you were here.”

Virgil chuckled at him, picturing the expression that must have been on his friend’s face. “It’s fine, J, just wasn’t expecting anyone to come in. I could have sworn I locked the door.”

Janus sighed again, and Virgil was sure he was running a hand through his hair.

“Fuck, I forgot to tell you that the lock’s broken… Fuck, sorry! I’ll, um, come back when you’re, uh- done.”

Virgil bit his lip to stifle his laughter as Janus audibly stumbled back out the door. When he was sure he was alone again, he peered around the shower curtain, grinning at the mess that still lay on the floor. He rolled his eyes and went back to washing his hair, making a note to clean that up before he left the bathroom.

When Virgil emerged from the bathroom, he made a beeline for the kitchen, hoping for a glass of water or, if he was lucky, a cup of coffee. He nearly tripped over his own feet as he stepped into the room and came face to face with Janus, whose eyes were comically large, the pink on his cheeks making him appear much younger than he was.

Virgil felt that sense of vulnerability wash over him again, though he didn’t understand why. Nothing had even happened.

He cleared his throat and tried for a smile. “Good morning?” he said with a shrug.

Whatever spell Janus had been under seemed to break, an amused scoff falling from his now smirking lips. “Good morning, V,” he said, “want some coffee?”

“Hell yes.”

Janus laughed and grabbed two mugs from the cabinet. “Sorry again,” he said as he carefully poured the drinks.

Virgil shrugged and walked closer to him, leaning his weight against the counter as he watched the liquid swirling in its cup. “No harm done,” he said.

Janus only nodded. “As black as your soul?” he asked, already moving toward the refrigerator.

“Duh,” Virgil said. He reached for one of the mugs, but Janus was already pouring nearly half a cup of milk into it. Virgil’s lips quirked up as he met Janus’s gaze, a self-satisfied smirk resting on his face.

“How dare you call me out like this,” Virgil said dryly.

Janus chuckled and put the milk away as Virgil finally grabbed the mug and took a sip, breathing a contented sigh. Janus then took his own mug, gently blowing on the liquid before taking a tiny sip, still managing to burn the edge of his tongue.

“Do you have plans today?” he asked, seeking a distraction as he waited for his drink to cool.

Virgil shrugged, “Pat’s coming home after work, so I should probably clean up some before then. Other than that, I don’t really have much going on.”

Janus’s brows furrowed, his eyes darkening a bit. “Patton told you he was coming home?”

Virgil sighed and deliberately took a long gulp of his coffee, hoping in vain to stall this conversation. He tried to keep his expression blank as he met Janus’s gaze. “Yeah, he texted me this morning.”

Janus hummed in response, thankfully letting the conversation end there as he took another cautious sip of his own drink.

“You’re welcome to hang out here as long as you’d like,” he said, “Alani and I don’t have anything special planned.”

Virgil offered him a small smile, seemingly unaware of the look that briefly flashed across Janus’s face. “I could stay for a little bit,” he said.

Janus smiled back at him, though he attempted to hide it behind his drink.

“Cool,” he said simply.

Virgil snorted, “Cool.”

Virgil was just putting away the last few dishes when Patton came through the door, a sigh on his lips. Brows creasing, Virgil followed the sound into the living room where Patton lay face down on the couch.

“Rough day?” he asked.

Patton took a deep breath before pulling himself up into a sitting position, and Virgil winced at his red, swollen eyes.

“You could say that,” he mumbled.

Virgil crossed the room immediately, sitting next to his friend and pulling him into a warm hug.

Patton buried his face into the crook of his neck, his fists gripping onto Virgil’s shirt as if it were the only thing keeping him together.

“What happened?” Virgil asked, voice carefully soft as he rubbed soothing circles into Patton’s back.

Patton hiccupped, the tears already streaming down his face. “H-he broke up with me,” he whispered.

Virgil winced, hating how broken Patton sounded. Anger boiled within him, but it was drowned out by the undeniable urge to help Patton. He pulled Patton closer, hugging him as tight as he dared.

“I’m sorry, Pat,” he said, unsure of what else there was to say.

Patton sniffled, “He said I was, too childish? That I need- need to grow up.”

Virgil bit his cheek, trying to even his breathing before he got too worked up and said something that would only hurt Patton more. This was a delicate situation, one he had been in far too many times, but he did not want to make it worse.

“That’s bullshit,” he mumbled, pressing a soft, barely-there kiss to Patton’s hair.

Patton only sobbed harder at that, burrowing into Virgil’s chest almost painfully. “All- All I wanted, was a real date,” he managed, “he hasn’t… taken me out in, shit, a year? I just-“  
Virgil frowned, his heart breaking for his best friend. “I’m so sorry, Pat,” he whispered, “You deserve better than that. You deserve someone who will take you out on impromptu dates and show you off to the world. You deserve someone who can handle how much love you have to give and return it back to you tenfold.”

Patton snorted, a bitter laugh on his lips, “Where could I ever find that?” he muttered. His fists clenched tighter around Virgil’s shirt, his chest aching as he vaguely wondered if this was how it felt to die of heartbreak. It sure felt like it.

“I love him,” he whispered, the sound nearly lost to Virgil’s chest, but Virgil still heard it, felt it in his gut like a well-placed punch.

“I know,” Virgil said, desperately clutching at Patton as if he were trying to physically keep him from falling apart. He waited a few seconds, the silence only broken by Patton’s heart-wrenching sobs, before softly asking, “Want me to punch him?”

Patton let out a little giggle, though it was heartbreakingly small. He sniffed, “Maybe?”

Virgil felt his lips twitch upward in a sad smile. “I would, for you.”

Patton nodded against him, his shoulders finally relaxing some, and Virgil knew he had tired himself out.

“I know,” Patton whispered, “thanks, Virgil.”

Virgil squeezed him tight and placed another tender kiss to his hair. “Anytime, Pat.”

Virgil collapsed back onto his bed, staring up at his darkened ceiling. Patton was still perpetually close to another breakdown, but he had insisted he could sleep alone tonight, so Virgil had bid him goodnight and made his way to his own bed.

Now that he was here, though, he felt far too alone himself. He grabbed his phone, checking the time. It was nearly ten, only seven where Roman was. Virgil scrolled to his boyfriend’s contact info and tapped on the call button before he could think better of it.

The phone rang once, twice, three times, and Virgil considered hanging up.

“Hey, babe!”

Virgil released a breath he had not realized he had been holding. “Hey, Ro,” he said, voice far softer than he had intended.

“What’s wrong?” Roman asked, worry evident in his tone.

Virgil smile a little at that, grateful for Roman’s attentiveness. “I’m okay,” he said, hoping to ease Roman’s mind a little. “Patton and Asher broke up again.”

“Damn, I hate that guy.”

Virgil snorted, “Don’t we all?”

“All but Patton.”

He sighed. “Yeah, that’s the problem, I guess… How are you?”

“I’m good, babe!” Roman said, and Virgil could picture the smile on his face. “It’s been crazy busy over here, but I’m learning so much! I can’t wait to show you the prince costume I made, it’s got to be my best work yet.”

Virgil smiled, though his chest felt painfully tight. “I can’t wait,” he said.

“I miss you, V.”

“I miss you too.” Virgil bit his lip, debating if he should ask when Roman would be home next, but ultimately deciding not to. When Roman had new information to share, he would. Instead, he settled for a simple, “Come home soon.”

Roman’s gentle smile could be heard in his voice, “Of course, my love. Get some sleep, okay?”

“Mhmm.”

“I love you, Virgil.”

Virgil couldn’t help the smile that grew on his lips. “I love you, too, Roman.”

The line clicked off, and Virgil took a shuddering breath as he put his phone on the bedside table and crawled beneath the blankets. He pulled them up over his head, curling into a ball, and ignored the stabbing pain of loneliness in his chest as he willed himself to sleep.


End file.
